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MIRROR-MIRROR
A Novel
By
Dave Lindsay
ISBN Number: 978-1-4357-9549-5
© All Rights Reserved!
DLBooks.com
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A note from the author...
Just when it appeared that writers and filmmakers had taken the
concept of time-travel in just about every conceivable direction, my
latest book comes along to add another intriguing twist.
I would contend that the possibilities are virtually endless,
limited purely by one’s imagination. Mirror-Mirror invites you to
climb inside the mind of an average man whose haphazard activities
while traveling back in time inadvertently change the course of
history. Put yourself in Vinni’s shoes and contrive your own
scenarios as he struggles through a series of bizarre situations and
monumental challenges.
As always, I leave the final judgment up to the reader. Regardless
of how well written my books are, they at the very least accurately
convey my vivid imagination. The objective is to ensure that the
story is credibly captivating and creatively entertaining. The
untapped regions of our minds are as vast as the universe itself.
There really is no end to the sphere of creativity. The intent is to
inspire visions that are truly unique to each reader. So, please use
your imagination to enhance the story.
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The critics love to get caught up in evaluating the grammatical
errors and inappropriate punctuation. If that’s your focus, you
certainly won’t be disappointed, but you’ll end up missing out on
something very special. So, please don’t dwell on my ‘style’ of
writing or the mistakes made in the process. Set aside your red
marker and enjoy the story which is truly fascinating. Cheers!
For more information about the author and his other literary
projects, please visit the DL Books website: www.DLBooks.com
Dedication
Mirror-Mirror is dedicated to my beautiful wife Gayle who has been
an absolute blessing. She has stuck by me through thick, thin and
everything in between, and there has been an awful lot of in
between. Thank you for sharing my life!
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Table of Contents
All chapters named after song titles
Chapter 1 Man in the Mirror……………………………………………7
Chapter 2 Only the Young…………………………………………………37
Chapter 3 Leaving Las Vegs……………………………………………76
Chapter 4 Please Come to Boston ………………………………………99
Chapter 5 Good Vibrations……………………………………………117
Chapter 6 My Generation………………………………………………..168
Chapter 7 Bal Confusion………………………………………………..203
Chapter 8 If I Could Turn Back Time…………………………………224
Chapter 9 Where the Streets Have No Name……………………243
Chapter 10 Marooned………………………………………………………..273
Chapter 11 Gentle on MY Mind…………………………………………293
Chapter 12 It Couldn’t Be Better………………………………………….304
Chapter 13 Into the Mystic……………………………………………….322
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CHAPTER 1
Man in the Mirror
A flamboyant high-pitched chant ended another drastically
overpriced sale at an estate auction in Cody’s Corner, a tiny little
community about thirty miles northeast of Daytona Beach.
“SOLD for thirty-six-fifty to...” the auctioneer declared with
a well-punctuated hesitation. For the frail silver-haired woman, he
wittingly added, “one of the prettiest little ladies in town. Show
‘em your number sweetie...number one-forty-two. And we’re off to the
next item up for bid on ‘Tommy’s Price Is Right’.”
Vinni Cross was a master carpenter by trade and a proficient
picker. He shook his head in disgust at the ludicrous selling price
of an old brass bed but credited the talented caller who had
succeeded in establishing some very high standards for the sale. It
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was clear that any genuine bargains at this auction would be few and
far between. Since he had driven more than an hour to attend, Vinni
was determined to leave with something.
His specialty was old wooden furniture and décor pieces that
required some restoration. Refurbished antiques accounted for a
large portion of his modest income. So, he slipped away from the
crowd to browse some of the less desirable items and that’s when he
noticed the mirror. A very old and rather odd-shaped full-length
mirror had been haphazardly propped against the wall a dilapidated
shed in the back.
The peculiar mirror was mounted to a matching base with
decorative bolts on each that allowed for angle adjustments. It was
larger than most, nearly eight feet tall, and some sections were
almost four feet wide. It certainly lacked luster, but Vinni
concluded that it was at least two hundred years old. It was the
exquisite design and the intricate woodwork of its handcrafted frame
that caught his eye. The shape reminded him of a jagged edged hole
left in a glass picture window after a brick had been thrown through
it. He envisioned it mounted directly to a wall. In the right
setting, it could conceivably create a similar effect.
The mirror had obviously been buried in someone’s musty cellar
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for several years. The frame’s original lacquer finish had faded to
gray and the delicate wood was pitted and ready to split. Images
reflected in the discolored glass of its face were distorted and
there were strange jade-colored metallic streaks imbedded deep in
the glass. Vinni had pretty-good idea what was involved in mitering
the joints of so many unusual angles. The fact that someone so long
ago could have cut the glass to fit so precisely amazed him. Only a
true connoisseur of the trade could fully appreciate the skillful
craftsmanship that went into its original fabrication.
The back panel was clearly a meager afterthought and had
obviously been installed by an amateur. He thought it was rather
strange that a bland sheet of weathered plywood had been heavily
nailed to the back of such a beautiful frame, but that was a
question he would soon have an answer for. Even for a craftsman like
Vinni, restoration would be a challenge, but its potential seemed
unlimited.
In its day, the mirror was undoubtedly an elegant piece. To
him, it was simply a diamond in the rough. Even in its dreadful
condition, Vinni figured it would fetch several hundred dollars at
this sale, but he also knew that the right collector would pay
considerably more for it once it had been restored. The initial
challenge was to purchase it at a fair price.
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If Vinni knew then what he’d come to know later that night, he
would have paid any price. The peculiar mirror was simply a façade
designed to conceal a treasure more valuable than anyone could
possibly have imagined. He slid the piece behind a large armoire to
minimize its exposure. An old rocking chair under a shady oak tree
provided him with the perfect place to relax until the slow-moving
auction reached the old shed.
If six feet is considered tall, Vinni was an inch shy with
short wavy curls of light gray hair tucked under a faded St. Louis
Cardinals ball cap. Dark olive-colored skin served to compliment the
distinguished Italian features that dominated his appearance, but it
was his mild-mannered Romanian heritage that shined through in his
soft-spoken personality.
He had celebrated his forty-eighth birthday on the 12th of
August in 2008, exactly one month ago to the day. The whimsical
dreams of becoming a successful entrepreneur had diminished a long
time ago, but his reputation for quality workmanship was impeccable.
Word of mouth in the region generally kept the one-man operation as
busy or slow as he wanted. A meek form of semi-retirement was a goal
that a conservative lifestyle could conceivably enable him to
achieve in the next ten years or so.
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Vinni was also an avid poker player with a knack for reading
people and he noticed that the auctioneer had his eye on another
exquisite item waiting in the wing. It was in his best interest to
expedite this nominal sale. Vinni studied the crowd’s reaction as an
assistant shuffled the mirror into the staging area.
“It looks like Jimmy has a rare antique mirror to put on the
block. This vintage piece of 17th century history has certainly seen
better days, but it’s qualities like those that make an item like
this priceless.” The inept understatement set the stage. “So, let’s
start the bidding at a paltry five for this eye-catching relic.
Who’ll give five hundred?” The lack of bidder response indicated
that the starting bid was way too high.
“Alright, I’ll admit it needs a little work. Let’s take it down
a notch. Who’ll get the ball rolling at three?” There was still no
apparent interest. “Surely someone will give me two, two hundred
then.” Vinni was rarely first to bid, but the number was getting
attractive. “C’mon folks, don’t let this rare beauty get away from
ya. If nothing else, it’d make a nice decoration for your husband’s
man cave,” he said with a bold chuckle, but the stubborn crowd
refused to yield. “Alright then, you start this show. C’mon now,
somebody give me a number.”
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Vinni took advantage of the rare opportunity. He stepped
forward in his faded bib overalls and spoke with an air of humorous
sarcasm, “I’ll give ya a buck for it, Tom.” The ridiculous bid
spurred an influx of muffled laughter from the crowd.
Vinni was a regular and the auctioneer knew him well. He leered
at Vinni with squinted eyes to express his discontent. “Alright,
we’ve got our first...bid,” the caller proclaimed without repeating
the number. “Now let’s get serious. Who’ll give me a hundred?”
Almost as if in support of his bold ploy, the crowd remained silent.
Vinni glared at the auctioneer with raised eyebrows and a staunch
devious grin. “C’mon people, surely someone will give me a
legitimate bid. I’m open to any number, any number at all.”
Vinni leaned forward with his hand to his ear and in triumphant
subterfuge spoke out with a smirk, “Let’s hear those magic words
Tom.”
The auctioneer was now wearing a humble frown and paused with a
hopeful glance at the crowd before surrendering. “Alright,” he
mumbled in a muffled acquiescence. “...item number 382 is GIVEN AWAY
to...what’s your number Vinni?” Vinni flashed his card, “number
sixty-four.”
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“Thank you, sir,” Vinni said with a modest bow, which enticed
smatters of applause from the small gallery. As Vinni strolled away,
he could hear the faint sound of the humiliated auctioneer’s voice
in the background trying to reverse the diminishing tide of his
proceedings.
“Jimmy. Let’s bring out that magnificent 1963 Chevy Impala.
Folks, have I got a classic for you? This baby is in A-1 condition,
fully loaded and, folks, she’s sat untouched in a garage for twenty-
two years.”
Vinni tossed a half-assed salute in the caller’s direction and
laid a dollar on the registration table. It was more awkward than
heavy, but the stout wide-framed mirror was difficult to carry. A
fellow picker stepped up to help wrestle it over to Vinni’s 1987
Chevy pickup, which sported a sun-faded apple-green finish.
“That was a pretty slick move Vinni,” the man complimented with
sincere admiration. “I sure as hell wasn’t going to bid against ya,
but by the looks of it, you might have gotten what you paid for.
This thing’s in pretty rough shape.”
“This thing has a lot of what I call character Sam. She just
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needs a little TLC. Give me a few weeks. By the time I’m done with
it, I’ll get more than my money’s worth out of this thing.” That too
would prove to be another ironic understatement.
“For a buck I guess you can’t go too far wrong,” the man
declared with a slap on the fender, which sent specks of rust
fluttering to the ground.
“Easy now, Sam. Rust might be the only thing holding this old
tank together. I sure do appreciate help,” he said as he finished
strapping it down. The truck sped off down the long gravel driveway
with a thick mixture of dust and white exhaust fumes swirling in the
breeze behind him.
Vinni lived in a ninety-year-old house on the inland outskirts
of Daytona Beach. The two-story home was built on an eight-acre
parcel of sturdy sand. It wasn’t much really and was in constant
need of repair, but it was home. He never married and had lived
alone most of his life, but he seemed perfectly content. The resale
of woodwork was his primary source of income. There was a large barn
full of unique items that were in the never-ending process of being
restored. He was well-known at the regional flea markets and fairs
for the quality of his workmanship.
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By the time he got back to Daytona, it was already getting
dark. So, he backed the truck up to the well-lit front porch,
grabbed a few hand tools from a toolbox mounted over the bed and
began loosening the bolts that anchored the stand to each side of
the frame. He slid the mirror out of his truck and maneuvered onto
the well-lit porch but made the mistake of leaning it against the
wall while he unloaded the base.
It wasn’t so much the loud crash that made him cringe with
shrugging shoulders and gritted teeth. It was the thought of
spending his evening cleaning up the tiny fragments of shattered
glass that made him wince. The huge mirror was lying face up on the
wooden deck. Vinni was just hoping that the frame was still in one
piece. If it was, there was an outside chance of salvaging it.
He looked down and much to his surprise saw his oxidized
reflection staring back. He blew a breath of astonished relief into
the cool autumn air. “This must be my lucky day,” he said without
knowing just how lucky he was about to become. He lifted it up and
onto its edge but used a flowerpot to hold it in place.
An old carriage bolt lying on the deck was now imbedded in the
thin plywood backing. He grabbed the hammer from a loop in his
overalls and pried it from the splintered wood. The bolt was more
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than 2” long and the frame was less than 2” thick. For some reason,
the bolt didn’t shatter the glass. Vinni quickly dismissed the
seemingly insignificant detail, but it was a valuable clue as to
what the rest of his night had in store.
He slid a frozen pizza into the oven and, while his gourmet
dinner was cooking, dragged both sections up a set of stairs to the
second floor. Like the rest his house, the bedroom was nothing more
than an extension of his workshop. The reassembled mirror was so
tall that almost touched the ceiling. He walked it carefully into an
open corner. After a brief inspection, he headed back downstairs.
The appetizing meal went down fast while watching an
enthralling episode of “24” that he had recorded. It was around
10:30 PM when he climbed the squeaky stairs to retire for the
evening. He stripped down to his boxers and studied the distorted
image of his well-conditioned body in the newly acquired mirror,
then climbed into bed and clapped twice to switch off the light.
The ritualistic barrage of ‘to do’ thoughts began to sizzle in
his head, which was resting face up on the pillow. Suddenly, he saw
an unusual spot shining on his wall. He watched it for a few minutes
and searched the room trying to detect its source. The puzzling
mystery finally got the best of him. So, he climbed out of bed and
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presumptuously walked over to the bedroom window.
Aside from an overhead light attached to his workshop in the
distance, it was pitch black. Even the moon was well hidden by an
overcast sky. So, he opened the window to a chorus of cricket music
that filled the air. A group of fireflies illuminating themselves in
the surrounding trees was the only other light he could see. When he
turned around, the mysterious spot was still there, which sparked a
quest to solve the mystery. Just as Vinni started to approach it,
the spot just as suddenly disappeared. That added even more comical
confusion to the stupefying anonymity.
Vinni wasn’t a believer in the paranormal, but when something
falls short of a logical explanation, the mind begins to wander, and
all sorts of peculiar thoughts start creeping in. After several
minutes, he gave in to the bizarre anomaly and climbed back into
bed, but every few seconds or so, a curious eye would slide open.
Within a few minutes, again out of nowhere, the strange spot
suddenly reappeared. Vinni went into action. The blanket flew to the
side as he leaped to his feet to investigate. It would seem, based
on the direction the light appeared to be coming from, the mirror
should be blocking it. He waved his hand in front of the mirror,
which did nothing to interrupt the flow. Then, as illogical as the
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conclusion may have seemed, passed a hand between the backside of
the mirror and the wall. When the beam of light transferred onto the
palm of his hand, he fearfully jerked it away as if it had just been
burned. The harmless ray of light was again shining on his wall.
Curiosity quickly transformed into a challenge.
He gripped the frame and slid the mirror away from the wall. As
he jockeyed it back and forth, the strange ray of light danced
across the wall in perfect unison. There was no doubt about it. The
mysterious light was somehow coming from the back of this mirror.
Vinni spun the mirror ninety degrees and began to inspect it
more closely. Aside from the bolt-hole created when the mirror fell
on the porch earlier that evening, it was a solid piece of wood. He
positioned his right hand behind the hole with the peculiar light
shining on it and stretched out his left hand on the front side. ‘If
the light isn’t shining through the mirror, then where could it be
coming from?’ When his face moved towards the hole for a closer
look, the light was soon shining directly into his eye. An array of
mindboggling questions began filling his head.
He cautiously pressed his eye toward the perforation as if he
was peeking through an old keyhole. Much to his awestruck amazement,
he found himself peering into another distinctly different room. At
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this point, the only thing he knew for certain is what he wasn’t
seeing. This wasn’t a room in any part of his house or a place he
had ever seen before. He continued observing the new and very
bizarre odyssey.
A shadow of a person crossed the path of his limited line of
sight, which made Vinni’s eyes fly wide open wide. He snapped back
to avoid being seen by whomever or whatever it was, but timidly
brought his eye back to the slit and watched as a woman walked
calmly toward a closet. She retrieved a light blue robe hanging from
a hook on the door and laid it out on the bed.
He felt a little like a perverted moron in some sort of peep
show booth, which was a disturbing thought, but this was somehow
different, much different. An unprecedented form of morbid intrigue
was prompting his behavior. He still had no idea what he was
observing or if was even real, but there was nothing within the
realm of normal about it and he simply couldn’t resist the urge.
Before long, the woman was standing directly in front of him on
the opposite side of some sort of multi-dimensional two-way mirror.
The menagerie of inquisitive thoughts was momentarily put aside when
the lovely young lady began shedding her garments.
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Putting on a show, apparently for his eyes only, was a
vivaciously attractive stripper in her late twenties. She shook down
her long dark hair from its pinned-up bun. Clad only in a matching
set of black lace panties and rather sheer brassier, the woman began
studying her own feminine features on the opposite side. She struck
several sensual poses as if auditioning for a photo spread in a
risqué magazine. Vinni’s initial thoughts were that ‘someone’ had
‘somehow’ generated the peculiar show exclusively for his amusement
and he was obsessively glued to the private motion picture.
The woman turned and stretched one of her long sexy legs back
toward the mirror, then shifted her position and pulled her robe to
the side. With her back to the mirror, she glanced over her shoulder
to scrutinize the curves of her well-shaped buttocks. Al a sudden,
the girl had a look of visible concern and, as she moved closer,
seemed to be peering as deeply into the mirror as Vinni. It appeared
she had spotted his eyeball leering at her.
Logic dictated that since he could see her, she must be able to
see him as well, and that caused another very swift retreat into the
shadows. He pressed his ear against the plywood but couldn’t hear
any sounds. It took a few moments to work up the nerve, but Vinni’s
hazel-colored eye was soon fixed back on the strange aperture.
Regardless of what he was seeing, he wasn’t quite ready to suspend
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the activities.
He was relieved to see that the woman was simply inspecting a
tiny blemish on her forehead. After several seconds of looking at
the only flaw Vinni could find on her body, the young lady backed
away and twirled gracefully with a tug to tighten the cloth belt of
her satin robe. This time when she crossed the room, she disappeared
through a doorway and with a quick flip of a switch, the light was
extinguished.
Either the woman wasn’t aware of his presence or she didn’t
care. Both were eerie notions to consider, but as far as Vinni was
concerned, the performance was simply part of the ‘show’. For the
time being however it appeared to be over.
Vinni stared into the darkness until his eyes grew weary of the
strain. Within minutes, he had started another more vigilant
inspection of the bizarre mirror. Some rather callused fingers
glided down the edge of the frame carefully tracing every square
inch of its surface. He made several feeble attempts to pull at the
plywood, but because an excessive quantity of strong nails had been
used to attach it, he’d need some tools. So, he scampered down the
stairs to retrieve his hammer and chisel from the nail apron he had
left sitting on the kitchen counter. Then he rushed back up three
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stairs at a time.
The lights were still out on the other side, so he began prying
at the joint of the plywood with the claw of his hammer. Some sort
of very strong adhesive had also been applied, which made its
removal even more difficult. For a reason he’d never know, someone
had gone to a great deal of trouble to seal this ‘thing’ off.
The nails were somewhat rusty, and the glue had lost much of
its adhesive strength through the years. So Vinni’s persistent
efforts were finally beginning to separate the plywood joint. He
worked his way down from the top until the panel was loose enough to
pull free by hand. The frustrating task took more than an hour, but
with a final forceful yank, he ripped the plywood backing away.
There was now a full-length crystal-clear window that matched
the dimensions of the peculiar multi-angled frame. From the front,
and at first glance, it seemed as ordinary as any other hand-crafted
mirror. This one however had been cleverly designed to conceal some
very unusual features. Vinni stood back at a safe distance and
stared into the extraordinary abyss.
Though it was still quite dark, faint moonlight through a
window provided him with just enough illumination to make out most
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of the items in the woman’s room. Vinni’s heart was pounding as the
trepidation began to intensify. Shifty eyes nervously explored the
unusual surroundings. Whatever it was, it was something extremely
special.
One of man’s most innate fears is the terrifying apprehension
of the unknown. In contrast, man has an equally compelling urge to
explore such mysteries. Vinni was psyching himself up to face that
challenge. With a sweaty palm, he slowly reached out and lightly
pressed the fingers of his open hand toward its surface. He took a
deep breath and cautiously bent his fingers to touch it. A strange
surge of numinous energy raced through his fingertips. That prompted
a swift withdraw in response. He rubbed nervously at his affected
fingers to alleviate the tingling sensation. “My God,” he said on
the chance He might be listening. “What the hell is this?”
It took a few moments to muster the courage, but he prepared
for another attempt. When his tingling fingers began dissipating
through the surface, he pulled away again, but almost as quickly put
them back. The eerie feeling had a stimulating effect that seemed to
encapsulate any portion of his body that contacted the plane. He was
enthralled by it and was beginning to enjoy the new experience.
When he shoved more of his arm through, he noticed that the
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portion of his body that penetrated the plane disappeared on the
other side. That frightened him into another full retreat. He shook
his arm vigorously to thwart the odd sensation and to assure that
his extremities were still intact. He was becoming even more
inquisitive and prepared for himself more experimentation.
He took a very deep breath and grabbed on to each side of the
frame to brace himself, then cautiously pressed his nose toward the
invisible plane. With his eyes clinched shut, he leaned his head
into the unknown. The interesting sensation filled it to the depth
of penetration, but once it passed through to the other side, the
feeling quickly subsided. He was still holding his breath as he
slowly opened his eyes. The enhanced perspective provided him with a
much broader view. He could see that the woman’s bedroom door to the
right was closed and he appeared to be alone.
As the fears began to diminish, the level of confidence started
to increase. The tentative journey continued by pressing his entire
left arm through the plane. Though he couldn’t see or feel the limb,
he was somehow fully aware of its presence. His body parts were in
some way cosmically whole, but in another, completely invisible on
the other side. He tried to take a breath but breathing proved to be
a non-necessity in this strange dimension.
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Another full retreat served to assure that he could. His new
‘window’ seemed safe enough, but there was still some uncertainty
about venturing too far. There was no way of knowing for sure that
if he stepped all the way through, he could get back. The next move
was contemplated with much the same consternation as an adventurous
astronaut on his first spacewalk.
Vinni held on tightly to the edges of the outer frame and at a
snail's pace stepped through with his left leg, but kept his right
foot firmly planted on the solid floor as his upper torso leaned
through. He was now straddling the base of the mirror with half of
his body on each side. He certainly had nothing to validate the
sense of security, but he essentially felt quite safe. Finally, with
one more very awkward motion, his entire body finally disappeared
through the mystical portal.
He was in a sense standing inside the woman’s room, but there
certainly wasn’t any physical evidence to prove it. He turned back
toward the mirror half expecting to see some sort of reflection but
espied a similar window that provided a peculiar view of his own
bedroom instead. He leaped back through to instill some additional
confidence and his body quickly reappeared in his room with al its
parts intact.
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A huge swaggering grin was now dominating his face. He was
thoroughly enjoying his new and rather unique capabilities. Several
more leaps in and out served to remove any lingering doubt. So, the
next time, he would stick around. The digital clock on the woman’s
nightstand was the brightest thing in the room and read 11:25 PM,
but when he instinctively looked down at his wrist, there was
nothing there to see. So, he looked back through the portal at the
clock in his bedroom. Wherever it was he might have been, the time
was the same.
There was a sense that his entire body was shaking in nervous
anticipation, but at this point, all he had was a lot of unanswered
questions. The only way to find out what this crazy apparatus was
all about was to begin exploring this strange new world. He was
careful not to touch anything as he wandered through the novel
surroundings.
The bedroom window provided him with a clear view what appeared
to be an ordinary American neighborhood. It wasn’t obvious enough to
spark any suspicion, but what he failed to notice was the age of the
vehicles parked on the street. There was a distinct difference and,
though it seemed irrelevant to him at the time, the variation was
furnishing some valuable clues.
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As Vinni was moving rather casually through the room, the door
suddenly swung open. The woman reentered and flipped on the lights.
His presence was sure to inveigle an alarming reaction. It didn’t.
So, Vinni froze in place with a look of startling fear on his
invisible face. The woman nonchalantly moved toward him, almost as
if she was walking up to greet him. Vinni couldn’t muster the
momentum to move from her path. Surprisingly, her body simply
whisked through his as if he was some sort of poltergeist. The
experience added another very interesting fact to the list he was
compiling.
His body may have been indiscernible, but something unusual
transpired as their particles collided. Both felt an odd surge of
energy from the other’s presence. For her, it was more like an eerie
chill that prompted a slight hesitation to explore the sensation,
which she quickly dismissed and headed for the bedside nightstand.
The experience simply generated even more confusion for Vinni.
The woman opened a drawer and pulled out a small revolver,
which was set casually to the side, but the prospect of a gun being
on hand made Vinni even more nervous. A hasty escape through the
portal seemed like the only option, but he chose to remain
motionless until a change in the circumstance warranted such action.
In the silence, another interesting fact came to light. Vinni could
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now hear every sound around him, even the TV from down the hall.
That fact enticed him to consider the distinct possibility that he
could be heard as well.
After retrieving a small white diary, the woman sat on the edge
of the bed reading silently. Convinced that he was for the moment
relatively safe, Vinni started moving slowly toward her. Just as he
was about to glance over her shoulder, some sort of noble dynamic
kicked in. Some men wouldn’t have given it a second thought, but
Vinni suddenly considered himself an intruder. Since he was a man of
principal with a reputation high moral ethics, his conduct instilled
a sense of disgrace. It was as if he was spying on this woman and
the thought troubled him. He respectfully refrained.
She made a few quick entries in her journal, placed it back in
the drawer and headed for the bedroom door where Vinni had come to
be standing. As she pulled it open the substance of the wood passed
through Vinni’s spiritual being causing another unique sensation. He
was surprisingly unalarmed by it and even found it to be somewhat
amusing. This was simply the tip of cosmological iceberg. He was
only beginning to discover the vast extent of capabilities the
mirror had to offer. The lights went out and the door closed. Vinni
was alone again and free to ponder his next move.
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His eyes weren’t open when he pressed his head through the
hollow wall, so he didn’t see the wiring his spiritual presence
passed through, but he felt the racing surge it caused. The brief
disruption also caused several lights on that circuit to flicker
through the house. Vinni paused to consider what had transpired and
spontaneously spoke out loud, “Holy shit.”
“What’s that, honey?” the woman’s voice rang out from somewhere
down the hall.
“Did you say something?” a male voice echoed back from another
room.
“I thought you did,” she said with a smirk and some quick
rationalization, “...probably just the TV.”
“That’s funny,” he said under his breath. “You hear things I
don’t say and don’t hear the things I do.”
“I don’t hear what?” she blurted back at him. The man rolled
his eyes at his wife’s response, which seemed to verify his claim.
Any doubt was gone. Vinni’s voice could be heard. The
enlightening fact was both disturbing and somewhat refreshing, but
30
he would have to be considerably more cautious from here on out. It
certainly wasn’t his intent to ‘haunt’ these poor people, but in
some strange way, that’s exactly what he was in the process of
doing. There still weren’t any clues as to where he was, what he was
or how it all came to pass, but so far, there wasn’t much about the
experience he didn’t like. It was uncharacteristic quality for a guy
like Vinni, but this man, who came from a rather uneventful mundane
existence, was having fun.
A quick trip down the hallway led to a family room where the
man of the house was tilted back in a recliner with his face buried
in a rumpling newspaper. A mug of cold beer was sitting within easy
reach on the table next to him. His wife was in the kitchen dipping
a bowl of chocolate ice cream. Vinni strolled slowly into the center
of the living room and positioned himself directly in front of the
man’s chair.
The headlines on the front page of today’s newspaper sent Vinni
into a state of startled amazement; “AMERICA UNDER ATTACK –
TERRORISM ON U.S. SOIL”. He looked again to confirm the date;
Wednesday, September 12, 2001. Vinni stood in stunned silence and
was lost in flabbergasting confusion. When he stepped though the
portal less than an hour ago, it was September 12 alright, but it
was Friday, not Wednesday, and the year was 2008.
31
Though he couldn’t experience the sensation, he was overwhelmed
by a distinct sense of shock. There didn’t appear to be any other
explanation. So, if what he was seeing was real, this mirror of his
had somehow transported him exactly seven years back in time.
He wasn’t a well-educated man, but he knew enough about science
from the many documentaries he’d seen on TV to know that according
to Einstein’s Theory of Relativity, the prospect of time-travel was
theoretically possible. Modern science still considered it a
farfetched notion. To rise above the illogical conclusions that his
racing thoughts were conjuring, he tried to focus on the principals
of practical common sense and rationale. This had to be some sort of
peculiar dream and maybe it was drug-induced, but this experience
wasn’t like any dream he ever had before.
As much as he wanted to, he simply couldn’t dismiss the facts
and was reminded that, in such a vast obscure universe, anything is
possible. A special news bulletin bellowing from the TV caught the
attention of everyone in the room. The man, his wife and Vinni all
turned listened intently as the journalist began a follow up segment
on the prior day’s tragedy. Vinni could see the shock in their faces
and recalled his reaction to the same disaster when he experienced
it himself seven years ago.
32
‘Is any of this really possible?’ he tried to rationalize
silently to himself. The lady was now walking towards him from the
left, so he instinctively leaped out of her way. This time, in a
fraction of a second, he found himself on the opposite side of the
room. He hadn’t just stepped to the side. He had moved from her path
at lightning-speed. The discovery of another unique attribute
prompted more awe-inspiring thoughts to fill his head.
Vinni studied the headlines on the man’s Boston Globe Democrat
and did his best to remember as many details as he could. To test
some of those new capabilities, he slid down the hall and into the
bedroom in split-second increments. One last visual inspection of
the mirror would conclude his little trip. It was identical to his
in every respect right down to the faded wood finish. With a quick
hop through the jagged window, he was once again in his own bedroom
and, more importantly, in his own time. His physical traits were
fully restored, and he was able to recall every aspect of his visit.
Vinni wouldn’t waste any time either. He literally ran down the
stairs to fire up his computer and began entering an assortment of
Google search commands. There it was. The front page of the Boston
Globe Democrat from September 12th in 2001 with the headlines and
print identical to those he had just seen in the couple’s house. He
33
rushed back up the stairs, grabbed the plywood panel and loosely
reapplied it with a few taps of his hammer. He wadded up some tissue
paper and stuffed it in to temporarily fill the bolt hole. Before
he’d make another move, there was some extensive research to do.
Initially, sharing his amazing discovery sounded exciting, but
he couldn’t think of anyone he could trust enough to share something
of this nature with. He sifted through a stack of loose files on his
desk to retrieve an old address book and started going down the list
on each page searching for potential candidates. He then paused with
his finger marking a number and started dialing. Before he finished,
he saw his own reflection in a normal mirror on a nearby wall and
slowly lowered the receiver.
Vinni had become the man in the mirror and, as far as he knew,
he was the only man alive that knew about it. Disclosure of a
discovery like that, even to your closest friend, just didn’t seem
like a good idea. He knew all sorts of people, but true friends were
a rare commodity. A person is lucky to have even one best friend in
a lifetime, Vinni couldn’t think of any and a decision of this
magnitude would require a great deal more deliberation. For the time
being, the remarkable discovery would remain a deep dark secret.
34
The remainder of that night was spent considering the realm of
seemingly limitless possibilities. He was sure that he could somehow
capitalize on this concept and enhance his inevitable future. He
wasn’t quite sure how to go about it, but he found the notion
tremendously invigorating.
The next several hours were spent researching bits and pieces
of information initially perceived as pertinent. Page after page of
data from the corresponding timeframe was collected; long-shot
sports scores, stock market performers, winning lottery numbers and
Real Estate investment opportunities. It all seemed to be there for
his benefit.
Everything that crossed the plane became invisible, so nothing
could be physically carried through the portal. There would be no
notes to carry with him and the potential would be drastically
limited to memory, a trait he wasn’t well known for. There was one
other problem to contend with. The only one way this could work was
if he had a partner in 2001 to deliver information to.
Vinni would have to persuade someone in the previous time
period to participate in his little scheme, but that would also mean
opening himself up to an unknown element of risk. The key to his
35
success would depend on his choice of partners. The right person
would be someone he could trust implicitly.
After pondering the question for most of the night, the only
practical candidate became rather obvious. ‘Who could possibly be
more trustworthy than me?’ The intriguing thought was most
compelling and there didn’t seem to be any logical reasons why that
person couldn’t or shouldn’t be the younger version of himself.
With a little more help from the Internet, it was easy to
narrow down where he was in 2001. The finish carpenter was living a
relatively simple life in Edwardsville Illinois, a small community
just across the river from St. Louis, MO. The next time through,
that is where he’d be heading.
Security was critical. To guard against most of the foreseeable
predicaments, Vinni would instruct his former self to obtain the
mirror in 2001. The portal needed to be more accessible and, since
it was presently in a house somewhere in the Boston area, street
maps of the region were used to narrow down the search. Once the
approximate location was determined, arrangements to retrieve it
were expected to be simple.
36
It was 4 AM when Vinni wrapped up for the night, but sleep
didn’t come easy on the morning of September 13th, a date that was
destined to be the most incredible day of his life.
37
CHAPTER 2
Only The Young
Vinni wrestled with a numb arm to answer the phone when it rang
at 8:00 AM. “Hello,” he managed in a garbled voice as the events of
the previous night began to resurface like a freeform nightmare. A
quick glance at the mirror confirmed that the recent experience
didn’t stem from some weird paranormal dream.
“Yeah Phil,” he said softly into the receiver, “you’re
absolutely right. I should have called, but I can’t make it today.”
The voice at the other end seemed persistent. “No, I promised I
would, and I’d be glad to take care of it for you, but I’m tied up
with another project right now and just can’t get away today. I’d be
glad to reschedule.”
38
Vinni was disturbed by the man’s abrupt attitude. “It’s a
closet door Phil. Another day or two isn’t gonna kill ya,” he cited
as the frustration began to inflate. “Look, if you’re in that big of
a hurry, there’s a butt-load of other guys out of the hall that can
install it for you.” Vinni paused while the man aggressively
expressed his dismay. “Look,” he said to end the call abruptly, “I
don’t need this shit. Find someone else.” He clicked the phone off
and fell back onto his pillow.
Though he regretted the conversation and hastily burning a
bridge with a long-time customer, Vinni had much bigger invisible
eggs to fry. Even if he was wrong about his time-travel gizmo, a man
with his talent would never go hungry. But, if he was right about
this thing, there were going to be some very drastic changes taking
place in his life starting today.
An early riser doesn’t usually struggle so much to roll out of
bed, but the night had been exhausting. He fired up the coffee maker
conveniently located on the bedroom dresser and performed a full
thirty seconds of moderate stretching before shuffling his way to
the bathroom. Since he would soon be invisible in another dimension,
hygiene wasn’t expected to be much of a concern, but he showered and
dressed as if it were any other day.
39
This workday started with the exact measurements of the back of
the mirror. A quick sketch noted the dimensions of each intricate
angle. The next couple of hours were spent in his workshop
fabricating a new door he’d install to conceal the portal. The door
would look just like a typical back panel but would be mounted with
interior hinges and would have a locking device that he could secure
from the other side. There would be just enough space for his hands
to manifest and unlatch the door when he was ready to return. Lights
were even being installed to illuminate portal side when closed. It
wasn’t the most elaborate security system in the world, but it was
expected to prevent someone from stumbling onto his little secret
while he was ‘away’.
Every now and then, work would stop to brush up on the material
printed out the night before. Like a high school kid cramming for a
final exam, it was a struggle to absorb so much information. A handy
set of cheat sheets were stapled to the inside so they could be seen
clearly from the other side without passing back through.
At 11 AM, Vinni Cross was standing in front of his enchanting
window sorting through an array of mixed emotions. Thoughts of
changing history were a little frightening, but just as equally
40
inviting. With a chuckle, he stepped through to begin his radical
adventure. The self-closing coiled hinges pulled the new door closed
behind him and latched shut automatically.
The uncanny ability to move rapidly in this peculiar dimension
would be a plus, but exactly how to travel between two distant
points was still an uncertainty. The objective seemed simple enough,
get from the house in Boston to his old home in Edwardsville, but it
would still require a little guidance. So, once he located the Logan
International Airport in Boston, he’d simply hitch a ride to St.
Louis on a commercial flight from there. When he arrived and was in
more familiar territory, he could get his bearings and find his way
to the quaint college town.
A quick step through the exterior wall the woman’s empty
bedroom put him out onto the lawn. Dorchester was easy enough to
locate on a map, but he felt a lot like a lost tourist with no real
sense of direction. He looked up at the sky. “Now that’s something I
haven’t tried yet.” After a little more than a thought, he was
soaring upward to get a geographical birds-eye view. In a split-
second, he was hovering over the congested streets of the city.
“Wow,” he said to compliment Einstein’s conjectures. So far,
41
most of Albert’s theories were proving to be consistent with Vinni’s
state of being. E=MC2 appeared to be in force. The matter that made
up his physical body in 2008 had apparently been mystically
transformed into an obscure form of electromagnetic energy. Since
gravity had virtually no effect on his enhanced physique, the new
mode of transportation was a lot like flying at incredibly fast
speeds without wings. It was the type of sensation a person could
only experience in a vivid dream.
It didn’t take long to spot an airplane descending for a
landing in the distance. He zeroed in on the target and, in a matter
of moments, he was inside the empty airport terminal. Since his
visit coincided with the recent 9-11 attacks, most air traffic had
been drastically restricted and, on this day, there were no flights
scheduled for St. Louis. There was however one flight leaving for
Chicago and Vinni figured that was close enough, but it was already
in the processing of departing.
A quick maneuver put him at the departure gate, but the plane
had already begun to taxi. A casual leap through the sealed door of
the Boeing 747 provided easy access. Although he could no longer
experience the actual ambiance of a commercial flight, there were
plenty of empty seats in the First-Class cabin and a spot near a
42
window provided with some free space. Sleep deprivation was no
longer an issue in this new spiritual state, but Vinni’s mind was
racing so fast he couldn’t have slept if he wanted to.
Most of the passenger conversations were understandably
centered on the recent twin tower attacks and the dangers of flying
in such a hostile environment. But Vinni’s train of thought was
focused on something entirely different. The invisible man was
experiencing one of man’s most innate desires, the ability to travel
through time.
The plane had been in the air for almost an hour when an
intriguing thought prompted another playful experiment. ‘I wonder
what would happen if...’ he thought to himself as he pressed an arm
through the nearby window. He expected to feel the force of the air
whisking by at 300 MPH, but there was no atmospheric resistance
whatsoever. That enticed Vinni to take the test one step further.
As his entire body filtered through the wall the fuselage, and
several electrical conduits inside, another tingling sensation
emerged. The maneuver had inadvertently disrupted the circuitry for
some of the airliner’s electronic equipment. A young copilot in the
cockpit was quick to comment on the strange anomaly. “What the hell
43
was that?” he asked the captain with alarming concern.
“What was what, Barry?” the captain replied.
He pointed to the overhead panel as he expounded, “That whole
row of landing gear instrument lights was flickering.”
The captain observed for a moment then said, “They look fine to
me.”
“Yeah...they’re fine now, but they were flickering like candles
in the wind just a few seconds ago.” The copilot’s eyes were fixed
on the on the panel with a look of profound concern.
The captain reached up to toggle a few of the switches. “As far
as I can tell, everything looks normal,” he said before taking a
casual sip of coffee, but he could see that his co-pilot was
genuinely concerned. “Hey, relax will ya?”
“Relax? Four planes get hi-jacked and are used as bombs to
attack America. Now the lights on the control panel of plane at
30,000 feet start blinking for no reason. So I find it kind of hard
to relax.”
44
“Okay Barry,” he defended. “We’ll keep tabs on it, but it’s not
going to do us any good to worry about it. If we run into a problem,
we’ll deal with it.”
“I’d rather deal with it before we have a problem if you don’t
mind,” he argued. The senior pilot smiled in response to the
rookie’s trepidation.
Vinni was now flying alongside peering in through the window of
the cockpit. “Howdy boys,” he yelled out over the sound of the
engines. “A beautiful day for flying, eh?”
Vinni had never seen the inside of commercial cockpit and
thought it might be an enlightening experience. Again, without
considering the potential ramifications, he passed through and into
the cockpit. This time, the electrical surge was much stronger and
had clearly interrupted the circuits that monitored the jet engines.
Vinni watched as the flight crew responded to fluctuations.
“Tell me you didn’t see that,” the copilot stated profusely.
“I saw it Barry. I’ve been flying for twenty-two years, but
45
I’ve never seen anything quite like it before. You’d better run a
full systems scan. Let’s see if we can’t pin this thing down.”
The Captain confirmed each item on the checklist verbally as
the copilot rattled off a series of digital data from the computer
screen. “That’s weird. Everything checks out, but things like that
don’t just happen without a reason. What do you think caused it?”
the co-pilot asked.
“I don’t know Barry, but I’d rather be safe than sorry. We’re
only about forty minutes from Chicago, but it wouldn’t hurt to
apprize O’Hare.” He toggled a switch on the communication module.
“O’Hare tower, this is American niner, two, four, niner. Do you read
me? Over?”
“This is O’Hare Tower. We read you, but you aren’t scheduled
for radio contact. Is there a problem? Over...”
“Well O’Hare, we can’t exactly classify it as a problem, but we
have experienced some irregularities with some of the indicator
lights on our instrument panel. We’ve run a systems check and all
systems appear to be functioning normal. The analysis reads
negative. I repeat; the computer analysis reads negative. We just
46
thought it would be best to apprise you of the situation. Over.”
“Roger...Are you requesting emergency assistance? Over,”
“Negative O’Hare, we are not requesting assistance at this
time. Unless we encounter further difficulties, our situation will
not require emergency procedures. Over.”
“Roger, Niner, two, four, niner. We will alert emergency crews
of your situation and place them on standby. Please keep us informed
of your status. In accordance with the latest guidelines issued by
Homeland Security, they will be notified. As a precautionary
measure, but they will be monitoring all transmissions for the
remainder of your flight. You are instructed to switch your radio
frequency to...four, two, eight, seven. Repeating; four, two, eight,
seven. Over.”
“Roger, O’Hare, switching to frequency four, two, eight, seven.
We will continue to monitor the instruments and notify you of any
other abnormal activity. Thank you kindly O’Hare. Niner, two, four,
niner...standing by.”
Vinni blurted out a verbal sigh of relief, “Whew!” He covered
47
his mouth with his invisible hand and silently observed the reaction
of the flabbergasted crew.
The captain and copilot both seemed to be locked in stunned
staring contest. The copilot eventually shook his head to inform
that it wasn’t him. The captain tilted his head to the side with
wide open eyes and a raised a suspicious brow. After an extended
period of deafening silence, the captain finally spoke. “There ain’t
no way in hell I’m calling that one in.”
Vinni was absorbed in an apologetic grimace and made a hasty
retreat through the interior cockpit door. He stood near the exit in
the first-class cabin and, as they approached Chicago, decided to
make an early departure. St. Louis was a straight shot south of
Chicago on I-55. He shouldn’t have any problem finding the way home
from there. “Thanks for the lift,” he said out loud.
Upon hearing the comment, the flight attendant turned to the
only passenger standing behind her and said, “You’re quite welcome
sir. I hope you enjoyed the flight.”
The confused man heard the voice too. “I beg your pardon?” the
short stocky man replied timidly.
48
The polite flight attendant responded with a puzzled smile.
“Would you like another drink before we land?”
The man looked down at his glass, which was nearly full. “No, I
think I’ve had more than enough,” he stated with shooing fingers
instructing her to take the glass away. He palmed his pale face and
rubbed his eyes. “Hell, I may quit drinking all together.”
Vinni inspected the exit door carefully before stepping
through. In the blink of an eye, he was hovering high over Lake
Michigan watching the plane fly off in the distance. “What a trip,”
he said with the ability to speak freely. “Let’s see now, St. Louis
has got to be somewhere in that direction.” He picked an angle
pointing southeast and quickly found the interstate, which would
lead him home.
Within a few minutes, some unmistakable landmarks became quite
visible in the distance. Thick clouds of white smoke from a steel
mill and several oil refineries in the surrounding area were
bellowing their disgusting pollutants into the sky. Vinni knew
exactly where he was and headed straight for the old house in
Edwardsville. It was just off Main Street north edge of town.
49
Union work at the time meant short term projects for a variety
of construction companies and they changed from day to day. Vinni’s
search couldn’t nail down what project and where he may have been
working on that day. Something at the old house might provide a clue
and it seemed like a good place to start. With his particles parked
on the lawn out front, Vinni waited patiently for his younger self
to return. At 5:30 PM, after two hours of wasted time, a search
ensued.
Vinni recalled doing some free-lance carpentry work for the
owner of a local tavern. He didn’t drink much anymore, but back
then, VC was a regular customer. So, there was a pretty-good chance
of finding his former self parked at the bar.
The barroom door was wide open to allow a cool autumn breeze to
flow through. And sure enough, leaning out over a pool cue preparing
to make a tricky little bank shot was the much younger version of
Vinni Cross. A flood of former memories began filling his head and
the level of anticipation started to amplify. Although he
desperately wanted to expedite the proceedings, an attempt to make
contact in a public setting would be very risky. He’d have to hold
out for a while longer.
50
Vinni hadn’t played pool in years, but the situation invited
him to recall just how good he once was. A smooth skillful stroke
sent the cue ball rolling softly toward its target. The eight-ball
bounced from one rail to another, then slid effortlessly into the
corner pocket.
A quick high five from his opponent and a few other players
served as ample acknowledgment. Not one person volunteered to
compliment him on the marvelous shot. As usual, and in typical
flamboyant fashion, Vinni would take care of that himself.
“Look out boys,” he said enthusiastically with a sharp elbow
pump. “The kid is hot tonight.” He snatched up the five-dollar bill
that had been reluctantly tossed onto the table and shoved it into
the front pocket of some filthy jeans. “Have ya ever seen anything
like it, Frank? What a shot!” Even Vinni-48 from 2008 was shaking
his head in disgust.
“That was a wonderful shot Vinni,” a quaint voice complimented
from her seat at the bar.
“Thanks toots,” V-41 said with a smirk in response.
51
V-48 remembered every detail of the amazing shot and the
haughty celebration. As the evening progressed, even more memories
of his barroom activities began to resurface like an emerging
submarine. “Kathy,” V-48 inadvertently said out loud as he recalled
the girl’s name. Ironically, she was the only person who seemed to
catch his little slipup.
“Yes,” the attractive brunette directed to V-41 in response.
“Yes what?” he answered back.
“Didn’t you call me?”
“No, but if you play your cards right, I might,” V-41 said with
fluttering eye lashes to entice a response from his buddies.
“Well, if you didn’t call me, who did?” she demanded, but her
question was answered by a room full of shrugging shoulders.
It was a very strange experience, almost as if V-48 was somehow
reliving moments from his past. The observation continued, but
silence was maintained for the rest of the evening.
52
Fifteen minutes later, V-41 lined up for a simple bank shot to
end another game. “Eight-ball, cross-side,” he announced.
That situation sparked another revelation for V-48. ‘Ah oh,
you’re gonna scratch, boy.’
The eight-ball dropped in as planned, but the cue ball inched
its way toward the corner pocket. “Slow down,” V-41 yelled at the
ball, “Stop!” The ball hinged on the edge before falling in. “Holy
shit,” he barked in frustration. “I didn’t just do that, did I?” He
tossed his stick onto the table and slapped down a five-dollar bill.
“I guess I did. I lose, Joe, but you damn sure didn’t win!”
“Whatever, Vinni. All I know is I get the money,” his chubby
opponent reminded with a cocky grin.
Vinni couldn’t believe how much his life had changed in just
seven short years. He was amazed by the many things about himself he
had forgotten. His life was more mild-mannered. That rather nasty
temper of his had faded away and was rarely, if ever, seen. ‘As much
as I hate to admit it,’ V-48 said to himself. ‘I can see that I was
a real jerk in those days. Maybe this mirror is just what the doctor
53
ordered, an attitude adjustment, which it looks like you could use.’
V-48 was looking forward to the thrill of sharing the big
secret with his former self. The astonishing irony of the notion was
preventing him from thinking things through properly. He had never
really stopped to consider the full scope of that challenge or the
foreseeable repercussions. His version of the concept was packaged
neatly into a simple-minded plan. As he and his new partner would
soon learn, changing even minute fragments of the past can result in
a devastating impact on the future.
“How about another game?” his opponent inveigled.
“Nah, I haven’t even been home from work yet. I need a grab
bite to eat and I’m overdue for a douche.”
“You can say that again,” a friend agreed with a hand waving in
front of his nose.
“Piss off, Pete,” he replied. “We’ve put up with the pungent
fragrance of your nappy ass all night.”
“I’m wearing cologne.”
54
“What’s it called, Cesspool Number Nine?” he said with a bold
laugh as he headed for the door. With a few lame gestures, he bid a
fond farewell to his friends. “Night everybody.”
Kathy called out to him as he made his exit. “Are going to call
me or not?”
“Not,” he said softly under his breath for the amusement of his
buddies.
“Do you have my number?”
“Oh yeah, I’ve got your number right here,” he said with a firm
grip on his crotch.
“Asshole!”
V-48 couldn’t agree more and was shaking his indiscernible head
in disgust. He followed his younger self out to his truck and
positioned himself in the passenger’s seat. As soon as the truck
engine started, V-41 reached for the volume knob to crank up the
stereo. Music was one of the many interests the two still had in
55
common. They liked their music crisp, clear and loud.
Getting V-41’s attention wasn’t difficult. V-48 simply inserted
his hand into the guts of the car radio, which created some very
irritating static. “Damn it,” V-41 barked with a bang of his fist on
the dashboard. V-48 removed his hand to reestablish a clear signal
and the familiar Marshall Tucker tune returned. The annoying process
was repeated over and over for the duration of the ride. By the time
he got home, V-41 was extremely frustrated. He stormed inside,
tossed a frozen chicken dinner into the microwave and headed
straight for the shower.
After V-41 finished his shower, he sat back in his recliner
with a sad excuse for a meal and pressed a button on his remote to
increase the volume on his 37” TV. He switched to the History
channel to get away from the rather depressing 9-11 reports that
seemed to be dominating the airways. As if the ride home wasn’t
annoying enough, V-48 stuck his hand through the cable wiring to
interrupt that signal too. He was having some fun with it. Each time
V-41 started to get up and address the problem, V-48 would remove
his hand and a clear picture would miraculously return.
The cat and mouse game went on for several minutes. V-41 was
56
now standing in front of his chair ready to tackle the issue if it
happened again. Just as V-41 relaxed back in his chair, static
filled the screen again. “Damn it,” he barked out in frustration.
“What the hell’s the matter with everything today?”
“It’s not your TV Vinni,” V-48’s voice said softly to initiate
the introduction. V-41 gripped the arms of his recliner and his eyes
widened in fearful astonishment. “It wasn’t the radio in your truck
either.” V-41 was frozen in a deaf silence. “I know you can hear
me.” V-41 remained frigid, but slowly shook his head up and down to
acknowledge. “I really wish there was another way to do this, but we
need to talk.”
Though the voice had a familiar ring to it, V-41 couldn’t put
his finger on the identity and certainly didn’t consider the actual
source. He looked over at his stereo to confirm that it was off. He
naturally assumed that someone was perpetuating an elaborate hoax
and figured that someone had tapped into its speakers. Before he
gave in and took a stand, he was determined to figure out who it was
and how they were doing it. “I guess you got me with this one.”
“No worries mate,” V-48 said to coin an Aussie phrase they both
used when they were a bit younger. “The good news is nobody’s
57
messing with you. This is for real and I’m here for a reason. I’m
closer to you than the best friend you ever had and that includes
Stan Burk when you were twelve.” V-48 suspected that the use of a
familiar name would help to put him at ease. It didn’t. “I know
these are some pretty unusual circumstances, but there’s really
nothing to be alarmed about. Matter of fact; I don’t think I could
hurt you, even if I wanted to. More importantly, I’m here to help
you.”
Perhaps it was the familiar tone of the voice or some strange
sense of relationship to it, but V-41 was finally beginning to
relax. His guard was up, but the trepidation was gradually
decreasing and was being replaced with curiosity. He was still
searching for the source of sound as he spoke. “So, just who might
you be?” he asked nervously.
“We’ll get to al the fascinating details about me in a minute,
but first we need to establish some ground rules for how all this
goes down. Believe me when I say that I know it’s not your nature,
but you’ve got to be more open-minded right now than you’ve ever
been in your life. Before you go jumping to conclusions, you’ve got
to hear me out completely. Since it’s coming from an unseen voice in
the night, it may seem like an odd request, but I’m asking you to
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trust me. In many respects, we’re actually in a very similar boat
here.”
“Oh...do you think so? Mine feels a lot like a sinking ship,”
V-41 declared decisively in response as he continued his search for
the source of the keen practical joke. “I’ll bet your boat actually
floats.”
“Alright, I’ve got to give you that one. I do have a slight
edge on ya, but here’s the deal. The voice you are hearing is from
the future, the year 2008 to be exact. I wish that I could fully
explain it, but to be completely honest, I don’t really understand
it myself. Matter of fact, this whole thing only started yesterday,
when I bought an old mirror. As it turned out, the thing concealed
some sort of multi-dimensional portal that enables me to travel back
in time...exactly seven years. That’s how I got here. I don’t
understand this either, but some sort of strange transformation
takes place when I go through it. My physical body is somehow
converted into some form of spirit-like energy. Obviously, my voice
can be heard, but at least so far, no one can see me.”
“Well that explains everything,” V-41 replied in a spoofing
tone. “You’re an invisible voice from the future.”
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“I know, it sounds pretty crazy, but it’s true. I’m standing
right in front of you. All I know is; when I go back through that
portal, I travel back to my own time in 2008 and my physical body is
restored again. I become an ordinary person just like you. I don’t
know how. I just know that it works like that. Oh, and I think
you’ll find this to be interesting too; you are the first person
I’ve contacted.”
“Well that makes even more sense. A spirit from the future
travels back in time and, out of all the brilliant people in the
world it has to choose from, this mysterious voice elects to contact
a carpenter in Edwardsville.”
“Believe it or not, that actually sums it up pretty well.”
“Well, sir. Considering who I am and what I do for a living,
I’d have to say that you are one extremely ignorant time-traveler,”
V-41 expounded with a swaggering grin as he settled into a
realization that this strange voice apparently posed no threat. “You
chose a half-assed construction worker to serve as your ‘medium’.
So, I’d have to classify you as a complete idiot.”
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“Oh yeah, well there is a very good reason why I chose to
contact you. And, by the way, I happen to know that you are an
excellent carpenter...far from half-assed. Once you have a clearer
picture of what is transpiring, we’ll see who the idiot is.”
“A clear picture of the invisible man, that’s a good one. I’m a
carpenter for Christ’s sake! Oh shit! You aren’t going to make me
build an arc or something, are ya?”
“Noah...that’s pretty funny. I promise...no arc. Maybe the ‘why
you’ part of this equation would be a good place to start. Think
about it. If you could travel back in time, who is the one person
you could trust more than any other?”
“I don’t know,” he replied sarcastically. “It’s not like I’ve
given it a whole hell of a lot of thought. Matter of fact, I can
honestly say that the question has never even crossed my mind.”
“Until yesterday, it hadn’t crossed mine either, but I’ve
thought about it a lot. After some extensive deliberation and
careful consideration, I concluded that there is only one person I
would trust with a secret like this.”
“And in your profound wisdom, you decided that man was me?”
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“That’s right Vinni. You didn’t even have any competition. You
were my only choice.”
“If even one iota of what you’re saying is true, what makes you
think you can trust me?”
“Because...I am you,” V-48 stated resolutely.
“Come again?”
“I’m too old to come again,” he replied to recite an old saying
their grandfather used to utter. “Seriously, pal. You and I, we’re
one in the same.”
“Woe,” his reply came in complete and utter disbelief. “Now
you’re telling me that YOU are in reality ME from the future.”
“It sounds pretty weird when you say it, but that’s a fact...so
to speak.”
V-41 started to snicker aloud then the slow chuckle rapidly
boiled into exhausting laughter. “Alright...Alright...that’s enough
of this shit. The gig is up, Bennie. C’mon out.”
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“Sorry sport, it’s not Bennie and this isn’t a practical joke.”
He hesitated. “Listen to it. Doesn’t my voice sound a little
familiar to you?”
V-41 quickly refrained. “I don’t know...maybe it does...a
little.”
“Sure, it does. It’s your voice too.”
“Bennie, you little shit-disturber you, I’ve got to hand it to
you slick. You really had me going there for a minute but consider
yourself busted, Bubba.” He got up and started another in-depth
search for hidden speakers.
“Vincent Cross...” V-48 scolded like their mother. “Set your
ass down and shut the hell up!”
“I beg your pardon?” he defended abhorrently.
“You heard me. Sit down.” V-48 knew there had to be a way to
convince his younger self, but he was running out of ideas. “I
didn’t expect this to be so difficult, but I can see it’s going to
require another approach. How about this? Why don’t you ask me a
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question that only you could know the answer to, something about
your past, anything?”
“Bennie knows all kinds of shit about my past.”
“Maybe he does, but I know things that Bennie couldn’t possibly
know, things that only you know. Go ahead, try me.” V-41 sat
silently for a moment. “Ask away.”
“Okay,” he said with a long hesitation. “When I was about nine,
I shot a gun for the first time...”
“It was a pellet gun that belonged to your neighbor Jerry. You
aimed at a bird perched on a telephone line in the backyard and
killed it with your very first shot. You held that helpless Cardinal
in your hands as it died. That was one of the saddest days of my,
our life.”
“Hmm...” V-41 murmured with a look of befuddled confusion, “and
the second time I fired a gun...”
“You were about twelve or thirteen. It was on the shores of the
Mississippi. Some friends were egging you on. So, you aimed your
cousin’s rifle at seagull flying by. One shot sent the defenseless
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bird fluttering into the river. You had only shot a gun twice in
your life...two shots, two birds and you killed them both. It took a
long time to get over that one too. Its mate circled the body as it
drifted down the river. The thought of killing another innocent
creature bothered you so much, you didn’t fire another gun until you
were twenty-five and that was at clay pigeons.”
“Wow,” V-41 slowly began to concede. “I damn sure never told
anyone about either of those incidents.”
“No. We never did.”
“Alright, you managed to get my attention with that one, but
I’ve never told anyone who I lost my virginity to either.”
“Wow. I haven’t thought about that in a long, long time. It was
Danny Tate’s mom when you were fourteen. That’s one experience I’ll
never forget.”
“Okay, okay, okay.”
“Need more proof?”
“Hell no. This is embarrassing, man. Let’s just say that, at
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least for the time being and since I don’t have a choice, I’ll give
in to you for now. I’m warning you though, if I find out that you’re
messing with me, I’ll kick your ass all the way back into 2008
myself.”
V-48 laughed. “Fair enough.”
“My guard is up, and this is going to take some getting used
to, but you can count me in for now. If any of what you’re saying is
true, what exactly are you proposing here?”
“Well, I’m open to suggestions, but did come up with a few
ideas that seem to have some potential. Grab a pencil and paper, top
right-hand drawer,” V-48 began with another chuckle. “One of the
things we need to do is get a hold of the contraption that got me
here. The mirror is presently located at a house in Boston, which
makes traveling to Edwardsville a bit inconvenient. It’s kind of
weird thing to think about, but if someone else finds this thing
before we manage to secure it and changes what I already did, the
conversation we’re having might never even have taken place at all.”
“Woe. That is kind of weird. So,” he said with a curious laugh,
“how are ‘WE’ and the rest of the world doing in the future anyway?”
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“The world is getting bigger faster and there are still all
sorts of problems to contend with, but it could be a lot worse. As
far as WE are concerned, meaning you and me; we are making a decent
living in Daytona Beach, but still don’t have much to brag about.”
“Daytona? So, I finally make it to Florida?”
“Yeah, but Florida isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Ours is a
pretty meager existence.”
“I can’t tell you how sorry I am to hear that. Did we ever get
hitched?”
“Nah, the women we’re attracted to don’t seem too interested in
us and the women who are, we don’t want anything to do with.”
“Some things never change. So, tell me about this mirror of
yours.”
“There’s not a whole hell of a lot to tell you really. Believe
it or not, I picked the damn thing up for a buck at an estate sale
yesterday. That’s another long story. The mirror is nothing more
than a fancy veil designed to conceal the portal and it’s amazing
how well the frame matches the actual shape of the gateway itself.
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Unless I’m missing something, this mirror is our ticket to some
incredible changes.”
“You said it was sealed up.”
“Yeah, there’s no way to tell how long ago, but someone who
knew about this thing went to a great deal of trouble to hide it.
They practically welded a sheet of plywood to the frame to cover the
portal. It’s safe to assume that whoever sealed it probably had a
good reason for doing so and that concerns me a little. You don’t
just walk away from something like this unless there’s a good
reason.”
“So, you’re the only one who knows about this thing?”
“It’s not like I was the first guy to find it. As far as we
know, this thing has been around for a long time, maybe thousands or
even millions of years. It wouldn’t surprise me if the Egyptians
used it to pull off some of those incredible engineering feats of
theirs. If they had technology like this at their disposal, it would
at least explain how they managed to build some of their stuff.”
“The ancient alien syndrome. Who do you think sealed it up and
why?”
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“We may never know, but by the looks of the plywood, it appears
to have been sealed up over one 100 years ago or more. The way I see
it; if anyone alive knew about this thing, they’d have gone to
similar extremes to protect it. It’s just a guess of course, but
something might have happened to its previous owner. They either
died with their secret after sealing it up or they died in the past
before discovering it.”
“The grandpa quandary...they wouldn’t be alive to discover it
in the first place, right?”
“Hell, I don’t know, man...maybe. There is an endless string of
strange scenarios to consider and the possibilities are
mindboggling. What do I know about stuff like this?”
“So, you found this thing in Florida in 2008, but in 2001, it’s
somewhere in Boston, right?”
“Yeah, and the people in Boston have absolutely no idea what
they’ve got. Since I can’t, I need you to get a hold of this thing
before they accidently figure it out. If they think it’s just an old
mirror, I’m sure we can convince them to sell it for a reasonable
price but be prepared to pay whatever they want for it. How much
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cash do you have?”
“I don’t know, somewhere around $1200 I guess.”
“That’s not a lot to work with. Do you still keep it in that
cigar box behind that false panel in the wall over there?”
“As a matter of fact,” V-41 stammered in reluctant admission.
“That’s enough to get us started, but to accomplish all we’re
going to do, we’re going to need some serious cash. Tomorrow, you’ll
buy yourself a lottery ticket for this weekend’s Powerball. Write
these numbers down before I forget them; two, nine, twenty-four,
thirty-three, forty-one and sweet sixteen. The jackpot is 250
million, but it’ll take a few weeks to get that check.”
“I’m going to win the lottery?”
“That and a whole lot more, pal. That will eventually be our
real start-up capital, but we’ve got to come up with some seed money
in the meantime.”
“Cool, but if I win the lottery, that means whoever was
supposed to win, won’t.”
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“I didn’t say it was a perfect system. For every action there’s
an opposite reaction. There will undoubtedly be some negative
repercussions as a result of anything and everything we do. So, I
think we should make most of our acquisitions in moderation, but
even at a moderate rate, you’re going to become a very rich man in a
very short time. Of course, by virtue of the proverbial timeline,
I’ll become even wealthier in the process. So, we are each other’s
ticket to fame and fortune, but it only works if we work together.
All we do from here on out, we do as a team. If we can stay healthy
and on the same page, I don’t see how we can lose.”
“Cool.”
“So, are ya up for little vacation?”
“I guess so. Where to?”
“Vegas. Where else?”
V-41 was doing his best to contain his excitement, but the
possibilities we’re finally beginning to sink in. He stuttered his
redundant response in a casual tone, “C-o-o-l!”
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“I know that I used that word a lot in the past, but I grew out
of it. I have grown to despise it. Is there any chance I could get
you to stop saying ‘cool’?”
“I’ll work on it.”
“Cool. Now, there are a few long-shot sporting events you’ll be
placing some heavy bets on out there. It increases the odds
considerably when you know who the winners will be,” V-48 said with
a laugh.
As grandiose as the elaborate scheme seemed, V-41 still had
some reservations. “I’ve got to tell ya, the whole thing sounds
almost too good to be true and we know all-too-well what they say
about things that do. Twelve-hundred dollars is a lot of money and I
worked my ass off to earn it. I’m the one putting it all on the line
here. Just how sure are you about this scheme of yours?”
“As sure as I’ve ever been about anything. It may seem like a
lot of money right now, but twelve hundred is pocket-change compared
to what you’re going to have. We’ll have to keep the red flags small
and to a minimum though. It would be best if we spread the winnings
around and place modest bets at several different casinos. They
frown on cheaters out there and you sure don’t need any thugs
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tracking you down. We’ll hit it hard, parlay our winnings and get
the hell out of Dodge before anyone figures out what happened.
They’ll never know what hit em.”
“What a great scam!”
“Wait until we hit the stock market and start investing in some
sweet little real estate deals. When we get back, you can start
hiring people to do some of the legwork for you. The way I see it,
we’re on our way to becoming one of the richest men in the world.
When we get back from Vegas, you’ll have more than enough money to
secure that mirror and, once it’s in our possession, I’ll be able to
hop back and forth with ease.”
“That will be our top priority then.”
V-48 began to expound on some other considerations. “We won’t
know of course until we get a hold of that mirror, but there’s a
chance I can use it again and travel even further back in time. We
could theoretically reinvent what we’re doing now and escalate
progress with each time-travel interval. See where I’m going with
this?”
“Yeah, I’m starting to. That would be very cool.”
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“It may be ‘cool’, but don’t forget one very important thing;
everything we do will to some extent change history and, if
something happens to one of us in a previous time period, the game
is over for al us. We’ve got to be extremely careful about how we
live our lives. You’re right though, this could be very cool.”
“So, when do we leave?”
“There’s no time like the present. Book the Red Eye for Vegas
tonight and pick up a lottery ticket on the way to the airport. Just
to keep things in check, you’d better cancel any plans or
appointments for the next few days. You’ll also have to sever some
ties with most of your friends and associates. In the long run, it
will be well worth it.”
“Hey, that reminds me. I’ve got a date tomorrow night...”
“I know. Bonnie Burns,” V-48 injected as the enhanced version
of that memory surfaced in his own mind. “Trust me. You don’t want
anything to do with that girl. The only reason she’s going out with
you is to make Big Jake jealous and it works too. That no-neck
gorilla will be wiping up the barroom floor with your ears. That’s
one memory I can live without.”
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“Damn,” he said with disappointment on his face, “I thought I
was gonna get laid.”
“No worries, mate. Pretty soon, you’ll be able to get laid
anytime you want.” He laughed at the thought before adding, “By the
way, that laptop of yours is a dinosaur. When we get back, get
yourself the newest and fastest computer you can find, one to match
that new car you’ll undoubtedly buy. Matter of fact, you’ll be able
to afford the best of everything.”
“Now, that is cool!”
At 4 AM on Friday September 14th, V-41’s plane was touching
down in Las Vegas. Al the fall sports were in full swing for the
weekend and it was time for Vinni’s games to begin.
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CHAPTER 3
Leaving Las Vegas
Vinni’s cab arrived at the Bellagio Hotel on Friday at 5:30 AM.
There was minimal activity and the casino floor was quiet. V-41
suddenly stopped in front of one-dollar slot machine and sat down.
V-48 waited for an opportune moment then whispered softly in his
ear, “What the hell are doing?”
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“I’m getting some extra cash to work with,” he muttered as he
inserted a five-dollar bill. “Go on, make it pay off.”
“I’m not a magician you idiot. I can’t make a slot machine pay
off.”
“How do you know? It’s not like you’re an expert at any of this
stuff. Give it a try.”
“I don’t think psychic powers aren’t part of the package.”
“You sure messed plenty with my radio and TV. C’mon,” he
ragged, “what have we got to lose?”
“About $1200.00 if we aren’t careful,” V-48 inferred before
reluctantly conceding. “Alright, alright, you get five spins and
that’s it. If this doesn’t work, we head for the room. Agreed?”
“Oh, ye of little faith,” he urged as he tugged at the lever.
V-48 stuck his invisible hand inside to disrupt the circuitry. The
red seven of the first reel lined up on the pay line and then the
white in the middle, but the blue seven stopped just short on the
line above. “Damn that was close. You almost had it. Do it again.”
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A little old lady sitting at a machine several feet away had
begun observing V-41's strange conversational behavior and was
leaning to listen more intently. This time when Vinni spun the
reels, the lights overhead began flashing. “Now that’s what I’m
talking about,” he said with a quick strut in a small circle around
his seat. “That’s a forty-four-hundred-dollar payout,” he exclaimed
for V-48’s benefit with elated excitement.
“Which I emphasize once again is peanuts,” V-48 reminded. “Get
your winnings and get the hell out of here before you attract any
more attention.”
A cute little attendant with long red hair arrived within
minutes to verify the jackpot. “Congratulations sir. We’re a little
slow this morning. It shouldn’t take long to process. I’ll be right
back with your winnings. Cash or check?”
“Cash please. Not bad eh,” V-41 murmured through the side of
his mouth. “You probably have all sorts of capabilities you don’t
even know about yet.”
“That may be, but this isn’t the time or place to start
experimenting. The idea was to fly under the radar, not through it.”
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“Relax. We just quadrupled our bankroll.” V-48 refrained from
commenting as the attendant walked back up to count out his jackpot.
“Forty-one, forty-two, forty-three and forty-four hundred.
Congratulations sir and have a wonderful day.”
“Thank you,” he said as he began stuffing the wad of cash into
his pocket. “I hope you have a great day too.”
V-48 leaned over and whispered in his ear. “Tip, dipshit.”
“Oops,” he said to the disappointed attendant with an
outstretched arm. He peeled off a hundred-dollar bill from the roll.
“This Bud’s for you. Thanks.”
“Thank you, sir.”
“This Bud’s for you,” V-48 jokingly mimicked. “Can we go now?”
“I was born ready.” V-41 said just before he noticed the little
old lady who still hadn’t taken her eyes off him. She continued
pulling at the lever of her machine with a blank stare fixed hard on
him. “Go on,” he urged V-48. “Make her day. Looks like she could use
the money.”
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V-48 felt a similar compassion. “I’ll give it a try.”
“Here ya go darlin’,” V-41 said with a huge smile. “Let me rub
a little VC luck on that thing for ya.” The look of bewilderment
never left her face. She never said a word, just stared into Vinni’s
wild Italian eyes as he massaged the window of her machine. Her
demeanor and facial expression never changed, even when the jackpot
lights began flashing.
Vinni smiled at her and kissed her lightly on the cheek.
“Congratulations,” he said to the petulant old lady who showed no
emotion whatsoever. This peculiar stranger may have been responsible
for the sudden windfall, but he made her nervous and she was anxious
to see him leave. Vinni rolled his eyes and walked away.
It was nearly 7 AM when Vinni settled into his hotel room.
“We’ve got plenty of time before the sports action gets rolling,” V-
48 advised. “Why don’t you get some rest while I scope out a few of
the casinos and find the best odds.”
“Rest? You must be joking. I didn’t fly all the way to Vegas
just to sleep and I couldn’t even if I wanted to. Let’s find us a
poker game.”
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V-48 laughed out loud. If there was one thing they would always
have in common, it was the thrill of a good poker game. “That’s a
rather intriguing thought. With me at your side, you could tear up a
high stakes game.”
“Your damn right I could.”
“A stout Texas Hold ‘em game should be easy enough to come by
even at this hour. I’ll slide around to see what I can find.”
“Make it a good one,” V-41 prodded.
V-48 returned within minutes of leaving. “There’s a 200-400
game going right here at the Bellagio. When was the last time you
played in a game that steep?”
“Let me think...never. It’s not like you can say anything. So,
we’re going to need some sort of silent signals.”
“If you’ve got the nuts, you’ll know it. I won’t have to do
anything. When you don’t, but I know you have the winner, I’ll pass
my hand through your right arm like this.” As he did, it created a
very mild tingling sensation. “Can you feel that?”
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“It’s kind of eerie, but yeah, I feel it.”
“I’ll do the same thing to your left arm if you should fold.”
“Right – winner. Left – fold. Got it. This is gonna be fun!”
V-41 hustled out the door and down the elevator. V-48 slid down
the shaft and was waiting at the bottom as the doors slid open. “Are
you there?” he asked quietly.
“Yeah, I’m here, but we’d better keep a tight lip for a while.”
“Alrighty then, let’s do this.”
Vinni approached the brush at the elaborate Bellagio poker
room. There were only a few tables going strong. “What’s the highest
stakes game you’ve got?”
The female manager was very polite. “What’s your pleasure?”
“A loose game of Hold ‘em, but I’ll take a tight one.”
She began to read from a list of lower stakes games. “I’ve got
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a five-ten on table two and a twenty-forty game on eighteen.”
“I was actually looking for a game with a little more beef.”
Since he didn’t come across as a high roller, she decided to
test him and offered the alternative he was looking for. “I’ve got a
shorthanded 200-400 game in the V.I.P. room.”
“That’s more like it. How shorthanded?” he inquired.
“You’d be the sixth player.”
“Perfect.” When an unknown seemingly inexperienced out-of-town
player sits down against some heavy hitting locals, they generally
perceive him as easy money. But Vinni had played at the professional
level and was a solid player. He had won several big tournaments in
the Midwest through the years and could typically hold his own at
just about any table. Tonight of course he had an edge.
While Vinni was waiting to be seated, V-48 whispered in his
ear. “You aren’t going to believe this; Doyle Brunson is in that
game. You get to play against the legend himself.”
“Now that is cool,” he whispered with enthusiastic
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anticipation.
“Your name sir?” the manager asked as she escorted him to the
table.
“Vinni, Vinni Cross.”
The manager offered a brief introduction to the table of
professional stone-faced players. “Gentlemen, I’d like to introduce
you to Vinni Cross. Mr. Cross, this is Sam Sloan,” she directed with
an open hand toward a large man wearing a black leather vest and a
gold golf hat. “Doyle Brunson,” The world-famous poker champion who
needed no introduction smiled and tipped his famous ten-gallon hat.
“It’s an honor sir,” he said to the man everyone knew as Texas
Dolly.
“Barney Pierce,” she continued. The leather on Pierce’s
weathered jacket was much smoother than his wrinkled face, but he
reached out a heavy hand to greet him. “This is Marv Donavon.” The
very distinguished well-dressed man with manicured nails and perfect
hair stood but didn’t offer to shake hands.
“Mr. Donavon,” Vinni acknowledged with a comparable nod.
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She finalized the introductions with a smile as she introduced
the most arrogant player at the table. “And this...is Cigar George
Crump.”
The man with a thick twelve-inch cigar protruding from his jaw
didn’t even bother to look up. “Are we gonna play patty cake or
cards?” he said with the mouthful of cigar muffling his words. The
brash demeanor seemed to indicate that the man wasn’t having the
best of luck at the table. Little did he know his day was about to
get worse.
“Mr. Crump,” Vinni said nonchalantly.
“Cigar George,” the man sternly corrected with an intimidating
eye contact. Vinni rolled his eyes and nodded.
“Player’s checks?” the manager asked.
Vinni rolled out his clump of cash and handed her thirty-five
hundred dollars. “Eighteen-hundred in black, three watermelons, a
couple of hundred in red and the rest in green I guess.” The fact
that he didn’t request any white checks indicated to the dealer that
Vinni was the type to offer a good toke when deserved. Vinni always
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liked the thought of having a dealer that’s routing for you.
“Welcome to the table,” the dealer said to greet him. “You’re
just in time for the big blind, if you want it.”
“I’ll take it,” he said with a quick toss of two black chips.
Passing on an opportunity to post his blind behind the button would
most likely be perceived as ignorance on the part of an
inexperienced player. The ploy usually worked rather well.
Silence and cigar smoke filled the air of their semi-private
room. The cards were pitched out rapidly and skillfully. “Mr.
Sloan,” the dealer offered to initiate play. The man seemed to be
growling as he folded with an abrupt toss his cards toward the muck.
That was followed with prompt action by Mr. Crump who flipped four
black chips into the betting arena. “Raise.”
“It’s been raised. Four hundred to call now,” the dealer
announced. Brunson was quick to call, almost as if he was prepared
to raise himself. Donavon reluctantly folded and Pierce forfeited
his small blind.
Vinni looked down and tilted up the corner of his cards to
reveal ‘Pocket Rockets’. Catching Aces on the very first hand, and
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at a table with this kind of action, could only be attributed to
some very rare unadulterated luck. He didn’t need any help from V-48
to play this hand and elected to slow-play his powerhouse. “I’ll
call,” he said as he slid in another two chips.
That was the beginning of a long and rather prosperous winning
streak. He wasn’t sure if he was being perceived as a talented
player or just a very lucky one, but Vinni and his secret partner
dominated the table. Within three hours, Vinni had accumulated more
than forty-eight thousand in winnings. Although he was feeling a
little guilty about cheating, he was certainly enjoying the
experience. Before the next hand was dealt, he felt several wisps of
energy surge through his left arm. “Gentlemen, if you’ll excuse
me...” He got up and walked toward the manager’s desk.
“May I help you, Mr. Cross?” His winning play had earned the
respect of the players and the attentiveness of the management
staff.
“Yes mam. I’m picturing a thick juicy filet mignon. Can you fix
me up?”
“Of course, how would you like it prepared?”
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“Medium-rare with a big old baked sweet potato and a double
order of green beans.”
“Would you like it served at your table?”
“Nah, I’m due for a break. Please have it delivered to room
1486.”
“Consider it done. Enjoy your breakfast.”
“Thanks.” He looked at his watch to confirm the time. It was
nearly 11 AM when he climbed aboard a nearby elevator.
“Well, I have to admit that was fun,” V-48 advised, “but we
need to stay focused. We’ve still got a lot of work to do.”
“C’mon Vinni, I’ve never been so hot in my life.”
“You aren’t hot, dipshit,” V-48 sarcastically reminded. “You’re
cheating...remember?”
“Yeah, I know, but it felt like I was hot.”
“I’ll have to admit though, that the poker game paid off rather
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well and the boys behind the cameras don’t pay as much attention
when it’s someone else’s money you’re winning. That stakes us for
more and bigger bets on tonight’s sporting action. As much as I
enjoyed the poker, we’ve got bigger fish to fry and this is where
the real cheating starts.”
“It won’t be as much fun though,” V-41 said in reluctant
concession.
“This is about making money. There’ll be plenty of time for fun
later.”
“Jesus, you sound just like our mother.”
“I’m a lot more than your mother. I’m your living and breathing
soul. It’s my job to take care of you and yours to take care of me.
Now, let’s go to work.”
“Nag, nag, nag.”
When they arrived back in the poker room, the short-handed
table was now surprisingly full. The word about Vinni’s lucky streak
had spread quickly and four more professionals had been recruited to
help end it.
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The manager entered to inform him of a change. “The players
would like to change the stakes to no limit.”
“I’m sure they would,” Vinni said to openly express his dismay.
Even though he had a secret weapon, Vinni felt like a target on a
point-blank shooting range. He looked each player in the eye but
directed his final comment to the manager. “Seat open,” he said
smugly in frustration. He just smiled and walked away.
“Bold move pal,” V-48 whispered with admiration.
“That pissed me off. I know we’d have kicked ass anyway and it
would have been fun to play that one out, but if that wasn’t a set
up, I don’t know what was.”
“I hear ya, but those guys are going to remember you for a long
time, and we will do it again. Shush,” he said in a whisper as the
cashier approached.
“Congratulations Mr. Cross.” The manager counted out several
stacks of large bills. “That makes forty-nine thousand, three-
hundred and forty-five dollars. That’s a pretty good day on a table
with that group.”
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“That’s a good day on any table,” he said with a wink.
-----/-----\-----
At 4 PM V-48 was waking his former self from a short nap with
the world’s worst rendition of a song their mother used to sing to
them as a child. “Good morning to you, Good morning to you, with
sunshiny faces, we’re all in our places. Good morning to you, Good
morning to you.”
“Oh my God,” V-41 said with his ears buried in a pillow. “It’s
even worse when you sing it. What time is it?”
“It’s party time partner...a little after four. The Bellagio is
a nice place to stay, but it looks like we’ll be placing some big
bets here tonight and don’t want any ties. You’d better check into
another hotel.”
“A plush high-roller suite, eh?” he inveigled with a hopeful
smile.
“Oh yeah, the presidential suite at Caesar’s is just what a
cheater needs to maintain a low profile. You’re going to be the guy
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their watching on a lot of security cameras and they’ve got some
sophisticated equipment. They’ll know who you are and will be
unleashing the dogs trying to find out how you pulled it off. I’m
thinking the Days Inn off the strip and you’d better lose a few bets
to make it look legit.”
“Days Inn?” he complained with a toothbrush lodged in his
mouth. “Surely we can’t do a little better than that?”
“You just don’t get it. You settle for less now, so you can
enjoy the super fabulous luxuries later. In a few days you’ll have
more money than you know what to do with and, since you will have
won the lottery, people will be expecting you to splurge. You’ve
just got to be patient.”
“Unless our traits have changed drastically in the future,
patience has never been one of our virtues. I like to zig and zag,
dig in and go, man.”
“I know you do, and you will eventually. Once you collect your
lottery winnings, spending large sums of money won’t raise near as
many brows. Even then, a lot of powerful people will be watching
every move you make. You’ve got to be careful and make sure it all
looks legit. Now, get dressed and let’s go have some real fun.”
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“Cool!”
“God. Did I really use that word all the time?” he said to
himself aloud. “I guess I did.”
They spent the rest of their Friday night shuffling by cab from
casino to casino placing bets on various long-shot sporting events
and several horse races. To maintain a low profile, Vinni would
limit his bets to five thousand on any one event and never more than
fifteen thousand at any one casino. By the end of their first night,
they had accumulated more than two hundred thousand in winnings.
On the following Saturday, V-41 was placing bets on a few
college football games, when he started noticing a man that seemed
to be showing up at each casino. Vinni was clearly being followed
and the thought of a casino rep trailing him made him very nervous,
but this guy just didn’t fit the role. He had an old pair of faded
blue jeans, some worn out canvas deck shoes and a floppy sailor’s
hat. He looked more like Gilligan from the old TV show than a
security agent. Everywhere that Vinni went, the man wasn’t far away.
It took a while to muster the nerve, but V-48 decided to
approach the stranger verbally. “What do you want?” he said in a
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bold voice out of the blue. The man pressed his back against the
wall and searched with his eyes. He shook his head in fear to imply
nothing. “Who do you work for?”
Regardless of who it was he might be speaking to, the man
decided he’d better answer. “The railroad, Southern Pacific,
retired.”
Vinni wasn’t too sure what to think. “You’re following that guy
over there. Why?”
“Because the fucking guy doesn’t lose. Every time I see him at
the cage, he’s collecting another payout. I just figured if I
watched him closely enough, I might learn a little something and
bring home a winner or two myself. That’s it. I’m not lookin’ for
any trouble. I’ll forget I ever saw him. Okay?”
Once Vinni realized that the man was nothing more than an
innocent bystander, he backed off on the scare tactics. “I think
that would be a real good idea. So, we understand each other then?”
The poor man was literally shaking in his shoes and Vinni was
feeling guilty about the treatment he had been put through. The man
was just about to make a hasty departure when Vinni spoke again to
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halt him in his tracks. “Hey!”
“Yes sir,” the man respectfully replied without turning around.
“You seem like a pretty nice guy. Are ya?”
“Yes sir, never hurt anybody.”
“I believe you. So, here’s what I’m gonna do. I’m going to let
you in on a sure thing. It might be a leap of faith, but checkout
Silly Willy in the fourth at Belmont. Caesar’s has him a 13 to 1
underdog, but I have it on pretty good authority that this is the
old boy’s day to shine. That guy you’ve been tailing just bet
fifteen-grand on him to win. If I were you, I’d do the same, but a
deal is a deal. You never saw that guy before and we don’t see you
again. Okay?”
“Yes, sir! Never saw the man...ever and you won’t see me again
either. That’s a promise.”
“Okay then, good luck to you and use some of your winnings for
a good cause or I’ll come back and haunt your ass. Go on, now. Hit
the bricks.” The frightened man hightailed it towards the nearest
exit.
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“He took off like a scared rabbit. What the hell did you say to
him?” V-41 asked suspiciously.
“He was harmless, but I told him to quit following you or I’d
haunt him for the rest of his life.”
“Ooh. That’s cruel, man.”
“Yeah, but I also gave him the tip on Silly Willy. He’s a
little scared right now, but he’ll be a happy camper in a couple of
hours.”
“We’re just old softies, aren’t we?”
“If you can’t spread it around, what’s the point in having it?”
“Couldn’t agree more. I can see it now. Modern Day Robin Hood
steals from the past and gives to the future.”
“Before anyone can read that book, we’ve got to write it. Let’s
finish what we came here to do.”
Their concept was working precisely according to plan. V-48
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spent most of his time racing back and forth between Boston and Las
Vegas to retrieve information from the notes he had tacked to the
interior panel of the new door. It was a rather grueling schedule
for V-41, but V-48 felt as fresh as a daisy. By Sunday evening, they
had amassed winnings of nearly two million dollars.
Cashier’s checks would be too risky. An ID would be required,
and it would create a scary paper trail. So, V-41 purchased several
stuffed animals at various souvenir shops and filled each one with
small bundles of cash. It was easy enough to have them shipped
separately via a variety of UPS stores to his home in Edwardsville,
and he was carrying $80,000.00 in a money belt as well.
When they arrived at the airport, V-48 made another suggestion.
“Unless you have something more pressing, how about one more trip
before we call it a day.”
“Okay. Where to this time?”
“They say Boston is nice this time of year.”
“Now you’re talking. I can’t wait to see this thing in action.”
“Don’t get too excited just yet. We don’t even know if it will
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work, but once we have it, it won’t take long to find out. You’d
better rent a cargo van too. We’ll drive it back to St. Louis.”
“Cool.”
Just four days after the original discovery, Vinni and his
former self were on their way to Boston. Their phenomenal link to
the past would soon be secure.
CHAPTER 4
Please Come to Boston
V-41 spent the balance of his Sunday night in a quaint family-
owned motel within a few miles of the woman’s home in Boston. Bright
and early the next morning the white cargo van they rented was
parked on the street outside the couple’s home in the Dorchester
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area. The mirror was almost within reach.
At 9 AM, Vinni rang the doorbell, but there was no answer. V-48
darted through to search the house. “She’s gardening in the
backyard,” he said in a whisper.
Wearing a suit and tie to play the role, V-41 walked around the
side and casually approached. Since Dorchester wasn’t known as the
safest of neighborhoods, he certainly didn’t want to startle her.
“Excuse me,” he said with a smile.
“Can I help you?” the woman replied nervously as she pushed the
small shovel into the ground and stepped back.
“Is this the Avery residence?”
“It is. I’m Shelby Avery.”
“Hi there. I’m Benny Cunningham,” he said with an extended
hand, which she reluctantly shook.
Vinni looked more like a salesman or a bill collector than a
historian. “What can I do for you, Mr. Cunningham?”
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“I realize this is a little out of the ordinary, but I’ve been
engaged to track down some estate items that were inadvertently sold
off a few years ago. The heirs of that estate are trying to
reinstate the collection. I have reason to believe that you may be
in possession of one of them.”
“I seriously doubt it, Mr. Cunningham,” she said with a hand
guiding his attention to the obvious. “It’s not like we’re antique
collectors or anything like that. My husband has accumulated plenty
of junk through the years, but most of it is just that, junk.”
“I understand. The piece I’m looking for is an irregular star-
shaped mirror and it would be fairly old.”
“Oh,” she said with a look of astonishment. “We do have an old
mirror. Kevin picked up it at a garage sale a few years ago. It’s
not in the best of shape, but it’s an antique. I can tell you that.”
“May I see it?”
“I don’t know,” she replied with a hesitation. “It might be
better if you came back when my husband is home. People around here
are a little leery about letting strangers into their house these
days.”
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“I can appreciate that, but I am on a rather tight schedule. I
assure you though, if it’s the piece we’re looking for, the estate
would be willing to pay a very fair price for it.”
“I don’t know what a fair price would be,” she said recalling
that her husband had paid $100 for it. “I’ve got to be completely
honest with you, Mr. Cunningham. You may not even want it after you
see it. This thing is in pretty rough shape. My husband may have had
the best of intentions, but never got around to fixing it up. One of
his buddies in Florida was supposed to buy it for 300 dollars, but
we haven’t heard from him in a while.”
“I’d offer you more.”
She was thinking of how handy some extra cash would be and was
hoping to double their investment. “You seem harmless enough. What
the heck, come on in. I’ll show you what we’ve got. If it’s what
you’re looking for, you can make me an offer.”
“That’s very kind of you.”
“Excuse the mess,” she said as they entered the bedroom.
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“No worries,” he said as he spotted the eyesore standing in the
corner. “Wow, it does need some work, doesn’t it?” Curiosity
prompted him to conduct a rather extensive inspection.
“Yeah, but my husband’s pretty good at stuff like that. He
always felt it had a lot of potential.”
“Your husband is a wise man. So, you’d be willing to part with
it?”
She chuckled. “To be honest with you, I’d be happy to get rid
of the darn thing, for the right price of course.”
“The family I represent has a fairly broad budget and you seem
like an awfully nice lady. Would five hundred be considered a fair
price?”
The look of bewilderment was obvious. “I’d have considered a
lot less. I’m not out to weasel anybody here.”
“I can see that. Take the offer, Ms. Avery. The estate can
afford it.”
She brushed the hair away from her eyes and smiled. “Well, if
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you’re okay with it, I’m certainly not going to argue. We’ll call it
a deal.” They shook hands to finalize the transaction.
Vinni felt a bit guilty as he counted out five one hundred-
dollar bills. “Here you go.”
“There’s a lot other stuff around here I’d be willing to sell,”
she inveigled like an over-enthusiastic shop owner.
“Thank you, but our search is very item-specific.”
“Hey, it was worth a shot,” she admitted. “The least I can do
is give you hand getting it out to your truck.”
“That would be great.” When she turned away, Vinni dropped
another five hundred on her bed.
They shuffled the mirror down the hall and out into the
driveway. After it was loaded, the woman had a sad look on her face.
“Don’t know why, but I’m going to miss that old thing. There’s
something peculiar about it. Oh well. I hope the new owners get some
good use out of it.”
“I’m sure they will. Thank you very much.”
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“You’re quite welcome, Mr. Cunningham. Good-bye.”
“Good-bye.” He waved as he climbed in the driver’s seat. “So,
how did I do?” he said into the air.
“She would have taken a lot less,” V-48 said as V-41 joined in
to add in unison, “but she was a nice lady.” They laughed together
as they drove off.
“Now, all we have to do is get this thing back to your place
safe and sound. So, for God’s sake, drive carefully.”
“I’m a damn good driver!”
“So am I, but shit happens.”
They spent most of the long drive discussing more plans for
their futures. V-48 would constantly reassure himself with an
occasional glance, but it didn’t seem to matter. Regardless of where
in the world the mirror happened to be at the time, Vinni’s path
back to 2008 was secure. Home would always be just one step away.
-----/-----\-----
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It was a long drive from Boston, but they were back at the
house in Edwardsville by noon on Tuesday. V-41 made a few calls and
arranged to purchase a vacant house in the country, a piece of
property that he had his eye on for a long time, but until now
couldn’t afford. The twenty-acre farm had nice little secluded house
on it. For the time being, it seemed to be perfect and a cash deal
persuaded the owner to give him immediate possession.
With his guaranteed lottery winnings, financing for almost any
project would be easy to attain and construction of a new 12,000
square-foot home with a built-in vault to protect their
surreptitious treasurer would commence immediately. The portal would
be stored in the basement of the new house and the two would be able
to conduct their business more expeditiously, securely and in
complete secrecy.
He would of course have to distance himself from relationships
with most friends and what remained of an estranged family. V-41
would start living a whole new life and the extraordinary changes in
V-48’s life would radically exceed all expectations.
The morning of September 19th, a Tuesday in 2001, brought the
moment they had been waiting for. The unveiling began. “All right
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Vinni, rip the back off of this thing and let’s see what we’ve got.”
This time, a high-speed diamond-bit grinder was on hand to cut
through the nails and glue that held the rear panel in place. V-48
stood by anxiously peering over V-41’s shoulder as the plywood was
peeled from the frame.
“Damn!” V-48 exclaimed with grave disappointment. “I thought
for sure it would be there.”
V-41 set the plywood sheet to the side and turned back toward
the mirror. “Holy shit!” he blurted in utter astonishment.
V-48 responded in utter confusion. “What?”
“What do you mean...what? I can see it.”
“Tell me Vinni, what do you see?”
“I’m not exactly sure, but it’s not the back of some mirror.”
V-48 stepped toward it and attempted to penetrate the surface,
but simply passed through it like he would any other object. It just
didn’t provide the access he was expecting and hoping for. “I don’t
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get it. I don’t see anything.”
“Well I do,” V-41 said with bolstering enthusiasm as his
outstretched hand brushed at the surface. V-48 watched as his
fingers disappeared through the plane. “Wow!”
“I’ll be damned. It is there. For some reason, I can’t see it
or touch it, but you obviously can. Describe what you see?”
“It’s pretty dark, but it looks a little like the inside of a
warehouse or something. You can’t see this?”
“No, but I think I’m starting to get the picture. Apparently,
I’m only permitted to pass through once. I’ve gone back as far as I
can go. I’m just guessing here, but if I’m right, you’ll only be
able to go through and probably another seven-year increment.”
“Okay...I get it. You can go back seven years and I can go back
another seven. Right?”
“I’m guessing. We won’t know for sure until you try it out, but
that changes everything. We’ll have to develop a new game plan.”
“So, you want me to go through?” V-41 said with obvious
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reservation.
“That’s the only way I know of. Are ya up for it?”
“I don’t know. That’s a pretty freaky thought.”
“Not nearly as freaky as it was for me. At least you’ll have a
guide. I can tell you what to expect and how to maneuver on the
other side. The potential here is still pretty phenomenal.”
“It sure is.”
“There’s one more test to run though. I’ve got to pass back to
2008 and make sure this door hasn’t slammed shut on me. If we can
leap back and forth at will, we’re on our way. Pardon the pun,
Vinni, but I’m going back to the future.”
“And when you go back through, you get your physical body back,
right?”
“So far I have, and I sure hope so, but let’s find out.” V-48
walked around to the front of the mirror. He could still see the
inside of the door, but it seemed different somehow. “I’ll be back,”
he said to halfheartedly quote a line from the movie Terminator. V-
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41 could only stare at his own reflection as V-48 slipped away into
2008.
V-48 watched as his fingers reappeared in the small void. The
press of a button unlocked the door, which then opened automatically
to reveal the first indication of some dramatic changes. His
response was one of mystically awestruck astonishment. Instead of
reappearing in the old bedroom of his former Florida home, he
stepped into huge and very elaborate high-tech vault with polished
stainless-steel walls.
Everything instantly changed. In that seven-year period, Vinni
had amassed a fortune and had already built an inconceivable empire.
Along with all the former memories, an array of daunting new
memories began to surface. An entirely new series of very different
events had transpired. Vinni Cross wasn’t a lowly carpenter anymore.
Though he had never seen it before, the new surroundings were
still strangely familiar. There were very distinct memories of every
facet. Even the secret code required for locking and unlocking the
elaborate security system in the new dwelling was fresh in his mind.
A series of numbers were entered, and the sophisticated vault
door began to swing open. Vinni stepped into a passage that led
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through a huge walk-in closet adjacent to his new and very elegant
bedroom. Although there were peculiar memories of it all, he was
still invited to enjoy the enthralling thrill of experiencing it for
the first time.
“Holy shit,” he said to reiterate V-41’s recent response as he
stepped into the stylish bedroom. “This is unbelievable!”
A brief tour of his new three-story mansion led to a great room
that boasted a thirty-five-foot vaulted arch ceiling. Yet, there
were distinct recollections of designing it, picking out the décor
and selecting each of the contemporary furnishings. It was an
enhanced version of the dream home he had envisioned years ago.
Regardless of the method used to attain it, this magnificent complex
was somehow home.
A wide staircase wound down from the second floor and emptied
into a large foyer. A set of beveled-glass doors directly to the
rear led to a large marble balcony overlooking the mouth of an inlet
leading out to the Pacific Ocean. A decorative two-story boathouse
was situated on the bay at the far end of a lavish five-acre garden.
To the west of that peninsula, waves of the Pacific were rolling
onto the rocky California coastline. Although a lifestyle such as
this was beyond his wildest imagination just a few days ago, in some
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bizarre way, he felt deserving of it and entitled to it. The
intricate time-travel plan had worked perfectly.
After the brief inspection of the new premises, he returned to
the vault. Since it was hung over the entrance, it was overlooked on
the way in, but a huge satin banner read; WELCOME HOME VINNI! He
couldn’t wait to share his findings with V-41.
“Vinni,” he called out into the darkness. There was no answer.
“Hey, where are ya?” It didn’t take long to arrive at the obvious
conclusion; V-41 had stepped through his portal. “I would rather you
had waited, but I can’t say that I blame you. I know how hard it is
to resist.” He smiled at the thought of his own curious nature,
which was considered as typical then and as it was now.
A few moments later, V-41 reappeared through the portal. V-48
watched as he conducted a rather nervous examination of his
extremities. “Woe,” he said out loud.
“That seems to be the typical reaction,” V-48 said to alert him
of his presence.
“You’re back. So, what’s it like in 2008 now?”
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“Unbelievable, Vinni, simply unbelievable! I didn’t stick
around long enough to see all of it, but what little I did see was
beyond amazing. It’s all still kind of weird, but I’d be lying if I
said I didn’t like it. What did you find out?”
“Well, the mirror’s in a warehouse in Tacoma, Washington. I
flew up to get an aerial view like you told me. That was a pretty
cool.”
“Seven years?”
“Right on the nose.”
“Good. Next time, we’ll know your whereabouts in 1994 and
arrange to make contact again. I’ll have a team conducting all the
necessary research. Once we get another one of us in the loop, we’ll
get the mirror transferred to a secure location in that time period.
We’ll test it gain to be sure, but if he can travel back another
seven years, everything we did will be done even sooner. So, do you
still think I’m an idiot?”
“No way, Hosea! Matter of fact, you might just be one of the
wisest men I know. I’m glad you chose me. This is truly remarkable.
It’s like a whole new world.”
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“Since people can hear you and your energy will interfere with
electrical currents you pass through, be extremely careful doing
everything you do. And don’t forget; everything you do has a direct
effect on me. What’s yours will eventually be mine. So, you’ll have
to check with me before making any big changes. We’re in this
together and we operate as a team, but I’m the captain. Everything
goes through me, okay?”
“Yeah, I’ve got it!”
“There’s no way to reach you on the other side. You’ll be
completely on your own. Since I can only communicate with you by
voice, we should probably schedule meetings at regular intervals,
but I’ll have a memory of everything you do.”
“That is cool.”
“You really need to expand that vocabulary of yours.”
“What would you like me to say?”
“There’s a boatload of other adjectives out there. Try awesome,
fantastic or incredible. I’ll take anything besides cool.”
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“Those words are kind of cool.”
“Yeah cool,” V-48 said sardonically with an invisible shake of
the head. “Listen, I’m going back to experience some of the new
luxuries in my life. We’ll touch base tomorrow and, for God’s sake,
don’t do anything stupid.”
“No worries, mate.”
“When someone says don’t worry, I know it’s time to start
worrying. Seriously, don’t mess with this thing too much until we
know more about it.”
“Relax, man. Go enjoy your newfound freedom. How rich are you
by the way?”
“By the looks of it, I might just be the richest man in the
world,” he replied so as not to reveal the overwhelming enormity.
To have an actual conversation with your own self stimulates an
untapped region of the mind and sparks an entirely new realm of
extraordinary thinking. What had been experienced thus far was just
beginning of some huge steppingstones. For the first time, Vincent
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Cross was poised to accomplish great things.
CHAPTER 5
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Good Vibrations
It was a lot like traveling into an incomprehensible dimension,
a world jam-packed with perpetual change. Vinni’s trip took him back
to September 19th, but it was a Friday in 2008.
“This place is a virtual palace,” he said describe his fabulous
surroundings. He flipped a switch on the marble-lined walls to start
a set of jets that sprayed water into the center of a large stall in
his massive master bath.
After a quick shower, there was a brief stop in the oversized
walk-through closet to select his evening attire. “Damn, I’ve got
good taste,” he declared while browsing the extravagant wardrobe. A
mauve colored shirt was accented with a daring tie that complimented
a dark turquoise suit. The ensemble seemed appropriate for his first
evening of pure self-indulgence in this new life of luxury.
With an aberrant pep in his step, he scampered down the stairs
towards a great room where a glossy black convertible Ferrari was
parked to serve as part of the décor. The press of a button on the
panel started the rumbling engine. Another opened a set of
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camouflaged bi-folding doors designed to blend perfectly with the
pattern of the wall. The elevated platform beneath the automobile
lowered to the floor level and, with a quick 180-degree spin, the
sports car aimed outward.
“Now that is cool,” he said to mimic his younger self as he
sped out onto the winding circular driveway. An automatic gate at
the entrance to the two hundred-acre estate slid open. With a sudden
turn onto an empty road, he sped off with a specific destination in
mind.
The winding two-lane highway paralleled the Pacific coastline
and the moonlight was glistening like a line of dancing lights on
the ocean swells. His exclusive subdivision was situated about
eighteen miles north of San Diego.
Most of the extravagant homes along the route were considerably
smaller than his estate and, though he felt that he should be, he
wasn’t in awe. It was an odd sensation but, mingled with a peculiar
awareness of his new surroundings, there were still subconscious
recollections of his former life. The blend of bizarre emotions from
the past and present endowed him with an exhilarating sense of
reveling appreciation.
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Even the road he was traveling for the first time was oddly
familiar and he followed it instinctively to what had somehow become
his favorite hangout. The establishment was known as Brandy’s Bluff,
an exclusive bistro so named to emphasize its many meanings. Brandy
was famous for her excellent cuisine, but the lodge had a unique
setting on a bluff overlooking the ocean. Many of her clients were
attracted to the outstanding musical entertainment she booked. Her
guests paid well for the privilege, but the quaint semi-private
setting offered them an opportunity to socialize with the artists.
As far as Vinni was concerned, the main attraction was the
tremendous number of high stakes bluffing that went on behind closed
doors. A backroom at Brandy’s catered to an elite brand of poker.
People who could afford to lose rather large sums of cash in a
single night often did. It was the perfect playground for the rich
and famous, an exclusive club that Vinni had become a member of.
A young sharply dressed valet hustled out to open the car door.
“Good evening, Mr. Cross. Are you playing cards?”
“Nah. Just dinner, Tim. Is Brandy here?”
“Yes, sir. And she’s always happy to see you!”
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“She’s always happy to see my money,” Vinni quickly corrected.
The valet grinned as he slid behind the wheel. “If I catch you
driving over 140, I’ll have your ass,” he warned with a pointing
finger and a promising smile.
“Yes, sir. Enjoy your dinner.”
Vinni strolled up to the entrance where an attractive woman
greeted him with a gleaming smile. “Good evening, Mr. Cross. Will
you be dining with us tonight?”
“I will.”
“Would you like some company?”
“Not tonight, Karen.” Services such as these were commonplace
at Brandy’s and, since Vinni was an unmarried man, it seemed he
often took advantage of them. The hostess reached for a large
leather-bound menu but was waved off with a confident smile. “I’ll
seat myself if you don’t mind.”
“Please, make yourself at home.”
“Set me up with a bottle of your best champagne though. I’m
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celebrating tonight.”
“Champaign, it is. And, may I ask what we are celebrating?”
“Life, my love. I just got a new lease on mine and it looks
like a lucrative long-term deal.”
“Congratulations.”
Several familiar faces greeted him from various spots in the
dining room. The faces of these strangers were paradoxically
familiar. “How are ya, Bill,” he said to a very distinguished
gentleman sitting with his much younger wife.
“Wonderful, Vinni. I couldn’t be better.”
“Glad to hear it. And how’s that new rowboat of yours holding
up?” he scoffed.
The man laughed at the witty reference to their new 200’ yacht
and rubbed his shoulder. “It’s a little tough on the ole arms, but
so far, she’s getting me where I’m going.”
“Oh, yeah. I hear that lifting al those twelve-ounce weights
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can be exhausting. We’ll have to take her out bass fishing some
time.”
“Let’s do,” the man said gleefully. Vinni winked at him and
blew a kiss to his lovely wife. He extended several more smiles to
others that acknowledged while walking toward an empty table in the
corner.
“Vinni,” another robust man called out softly. “They’ve got one
hell of a game tonight. It’s as loose as a goose and there’s a lot
of cash on the table.”
“There’s nothing I enjoy more than taking money off a poker
table, Frank, but tonight, I came in for some of Brandy’s fried
lobster.”
It didn’t take long to notice a stunningly beautiful brunette
sitting alone just a few tables away. The candlelight on hers seemed
to enhance some striking facial features and glistened from her very
silky hair. Even with all the futuristic recollections, this was a
face he’d never seen before.
Vinni tried to be nonchalant, but he just couldn’t take his
eyes off her. “Who’s the lady, Keith?” he inquired as the waiter
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poured his first glass of wine.
The reply came quickly and without looking up, “I’ve never seen
her before, but she came in with Mr. Cortez.”
“Juan Cortez?” The waiter acknowledged with a nod. “You’ve got
to be kidding me.” Any woman sitting alone in an establishment like
this was a rare occurrence, but one as attractive as her, never.
Sadistic irony began to stir. Even her outfit was eye-catching, but
elegantly simple. What Vinni saw in this woman was a distinctly
innocent quality that seemed to set her apart from Brandy’s typical
clientele. The woman seemed somehow out of place.
The thought prompted a quick chuckle. Just a few days ago, a
lady like her would have been considered way out of Vinni’s league.
In the new realm of superiority, which he was now privy to, the
vivacious woman seemed very attainable. None of the memories he
could conjure even came close to matching an attraction like this.
Childish infatuation rapidly developed into a bona fide obsession.
The opportunity to meet this handsome woman would not be forfeited.
“Usual?” the waiter indulged. Vinni’s preoccupation with this
woman was rather obvious. It took a few moments to catch up. “Mr.
Cross?”
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“Sorry, Keith. Yeah, fried lobster would be great. And ask
Brandy to pay me a little visit when she gets a chance.”
“You’ve got it.”
It wasn’t long before a very elegant lady with long red hair
and wearing a sheik blue evening dress approached. “Well, well,
well. If it isn’t Vinni Cross. To what do I owe this pleasure and
where have you been hiding?”
“Did ya miss me?” Vinni asked with a huge smile as he stood to
greet her. He kissed her lightly on the cheek. “Brandy, my love. You
look absolutely ravishing.”
“Thank you,” she said in a shy tone to humbly accept the
compliment. “And you’re looking rather dapper yourself.”
“Got a minute?” He pulled a chair out and invited her to sit
down with an open wave of his hand.
“Of course. The word on the carpet is you’re celebrating, but
then again, if the Vinni Cross I’ve come to know wasn’t celebrating
something, I’d be worried.”
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“Certain circumstances in life have a way of furnishing us with
special things to celebrate. Champaign?” he offered as he poured a
glass.
“Thank you.” She placed her chin on the knuckles of her clasped
hands and rested her elbows on the table. Vinni’s eyes were clearly
trained on something other than her and she had a pretty good idea
what was distracting him. “So, what can I do for you, Vinni?”
“I’m not normally one to impose, but...”
“Umm hmmm,” she urged as he lifted a finger from his glass to
point. Brandy answered before any words were spoken, “Taken.”
“That’s what I heard. By none other than Juan Cortez of all
people?”
“Apparently.”
“Brandy, you and I both know that guy is nothing more than a
two-bit drug-peddling pimp.”
“That may be true, but the pimp has plenty of cash and enjoys
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spending large sums of it here. What can I say?”
“I know, business is business, but I don’t get it. What’s a
class act like that doing with a skanky little jerk like him? It
just doesn’t make any sense.”
Brandy glanced over at the woman then wittingly informed, “Her
date has been in the back for more than two hours.”
“And left her sitting there the whole time? What an asshole!”
“I can’t argue that, but like I said, Juan has some pretty deep
pockets,” she added with a shrug of the shoulders. “I know for a
fact that the lady has already turned away several bold advances
this evening. Perhaps, if the right guy was to say the right thing
at the right time...well, you just never know. She’s got to be
bored. Shall inquire for you?”
“Would you mind?”
“Not at all. Let me see what I can do. By the way, Juan’s table
still has an empty seat. Should I hold it for you?”
As intended, the invitation triggered a thought. “That’s not a
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bad idea.”
“Consider it done,” she said with a slight tilt of the head.
“This is shaping up to be one very interesting evening.”
“If I end up playing in that game, you can count on it,” he
exclaimed.
Brandy sparked a conversation with the lady who only took a
casual fleeting glimpse in Vinni’s direction. He lifted the glass of
Champaign as a signal. It may have been nothing more than hopeful
thinking, but there appeared to be a hint of intrigue in her eyes.
The woman however had obviously rejected the offer. Brandy advised
with a raised eyebrow and a frown as she walked by.
Women certainly weren’t his field of expertise and this one may
have been out of his league, but Vinni was experiencing a sense of
determination he had never known. He wasn’t about to give up so
easily. With a nervous swagger, he paraded right up to her table.
Though his reflection could be seen in the window, she didn’t turn
around until he spoke. “No strings,” he said with his fingers
mimicking the motions of a puppeteer.
“No strings?” she bounced back to mordantly acknowledge his
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presence. It was then she turned towards him and, from the moment
their eyes met, destiny began dictating their future.
“Well, there may be one or two. I’m Vinni Cross.” He boasted
with an extended hand, but she shunned the urge to shake it. Though
she was somewhat enamored by the man, immediate acceptance could be
perceived as easy pickings and she made sure the point was clearly
understood.
“And what is it...exactly...that Vinni Cross wants?”
“I’ve got a pretty long list. I’d love to fill you in. May I
sit down?”
She reluctantly gave permission with a nonchalant wave but
started the conversation with a rather arrogant statement. “It’s
going to take a lot more than money to impress me, Mr. Cross.”
“Oops,” he said with a quick retreat into a defensive martial
arts stance. His many years of experience at the poker tables made
him an expert at ‘tells’, but he was fully prepared to chalk this
one up to a misread and move on. “It seems I’ve made a mistake.”
“Pardon me.”
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“Sorry for the intrusion. I just came in for dinner. I wouldn’t
want to waste your time or my evening trying to convince you I’m not
an asshole. Have a nice life,” he mumbled with an artificial smile.
Winning a lady like this over was going to require a great deal more
than intellectual tact. “And for your information,” he added, “I
haven’t got a dime to my name, but I’m a great guy. Matter of fact,
I’m the type of guy that would travel through time for the right
woman. For a minute there, I thought that might be you. Good night.”
“Well, now,” she said with a fervent smile that seemed to
shatter a rather thick block of ice. She quaintly extended a hand.
“I’ve never met a broke time-traveler before. I’m Sierra Chardon.”
“Well then, Sierra, consider this is your lucky day.”
“That remains to be seen and I get to be the judge of that.”
“Fair enough, your honor.” With an ostentatious look on his
face, he took a few moments to study her eyes. “This may sound a
little strange, but you bear a striking resemblance to my first
wife.”
The mention of a wife wasn’t the type of flattery Sierra was
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expecting or hoping to hear. “Is that so? What was she like?”
“I couldn’t tell you. I’ve never been married,” he said with
crooked grin. The halfhearted attempt to make an impression seemed
to be working.
The motion for him to join her was coupled with big smile as
she estimated his age. “So, you’ve never been married?”
“Nope,” Vinni said. He was extremely nervous but leaned back to
infer that he was quite comfortable. “Sierra Cross...that has a nice
ring to it, don’t you think?” No man she had met had ever been so
forward. The urge to smile was overwhelming. “I couldn’t help but
notice that your table is set for two. A husband?” he asked to
determine the status of her relationship with Juan.
“I was with someone when I came in, but it certainly wasn’t my
husband. The man I marry would never leave his wife sitting alone
for two hours, not unless he was looking for a divorce. My date’s
been playing poker for the past two hours. So, to answer your
question; I’ve never been married either and I expect to be single
long after I leave here tonight.”
“I wouldn’t count on it, if I were you,” Vinni said with
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another laugh. “I agree; you certainly deserve better. So, who’s
your date?”
“The jerk I came with is guy by the name of Juan Cortez. Heard
of him?” Vinni raised an eyebrow to acknowledge. “It seems that Mr.
Cortez has the couth of a pillow cushion and the manners of a
crocodile.”
“Yeah, I know him and couldn’t agree more, which of course
prompts me to ask the obvious question. Pardon the cliché, but
what’s a lady like you doing with an asshole like that?”
“I don’t get fooled easily. He seemed nice enough when I met
him, but as I found out today, he has a bit of a temper and tends to
be very possessive. This is my first date with him and tonight will
also be my last.”
“Why don’t you just leave?”
“I know his type well enough to know that if I left, I’d never
hear the end of it. I just don’t need the headaches.”
“I hear ya,” Vinni said with a long hesitation before laying
out his proposition. “Listen; it’s just a thought, and it’s your
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call of course, but I just might have a way of getting you out of
this little pickle you’re in.”
“Oh, really?”
“I’ve played poker with Juan a few times. He’s not very good,
but he can afford to lose and usually does. Since he doesn’t like me
much anyway, I’m thinking he can be coaxed into gambling away the
honor of your company.”
“Excuse me.”
“What I am suggesting is this. I’d try to orchestrate a
scenario whereby Juan would be invited to gamble away his date. You
would be the stakes.”
“Are you suggesting that I pose as some sort of prize in a
ridiculous card game?”
“Hey,” he said in a defensive tone, “I didn’t say it was a
great idea, but it would seem to beat the alternative.” Sierra was
obviously offended by the thought of such a preposterous notion.
Vinni attempted to allay her concerns. “Look, I despise the man and
how he makes his money. I took about four-hundred from him in a game
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a few weeks ago. He’d like nothing more than an opportunity to win
it back.”
“Four-hundred dollars?”
“Four-hundred-thousand,” he clarified with a humble grin. “So,
the guy’s not too fond of me to begin with. As much as Juan hates to
lose, he can accept defeat at a card table. If my little plan works,
this little set-up might just provide you with an easy way out. Like
I said, no strings on my end. It’s worth a shot, isn’t it?” She
appeared to be considering the proposition. “You certainly have
nothing to lose and it might even be fun.”
“I have to admit that the thought of sitting here alone for the
rest of the night doesn’t exactly thrill me,” Her reaction hinged on
a slight smile. “And, what happens if you lose?”
“I rarely lose, so I’m not sure how to answer that. I’d
probably have to drop a few big ones, but that’s my problem. Your
situation, on the other hand, could get worse than it already is.”
“Alright, Mr. Cross. I’m listening. What’s your plan?”
“Brandy will get me into the game, and I’ll set him up with a
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few confidence-builders. Then, when the opportunity presents itself,
I’ll drop my little bomb.”
“And, what’s in it for you?”
“I’d get to be your knight in shining armor and maybe an
opportunity to get to know you better, which I think that would be
great. If I pull it off, you won’t be the least bit obligated to me.
I promise.”
“Well,” she pondered, “I can’t say that I’m overly thrilled
with the idea, but you’re right about one thing. I don’t have a lot
of options.”
“I could simply drive you home.”
“No! Juan would go berserk.”
“So, we have a deal then?” Vinni asked with an extended hand.
“Not so fast, Bucko,” Sierra said with a waving hand flagging
Brandy down. “I’d like to ask you a quick question.” Brandy nodded
her approval. “Mr. Cross here has claims to be some sort of wizard
at poker. Just how good is he?”
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Brandy smiled at Vinni then winked at her. “He’s one of the
best players I’ve ever seen.”
Brandy’s vote of confidence seemed to seal the deal. “Well
then, Mr. Cross...”
“Vinni, please,” he requested with a bold smile.
“Vinni,” she repeated with a shake of his hand to finalize
their agreement. “I guess I’m in.”
“C-o-o-l!” he said energetically before re-directing. “Brandy,
would you be kind enough to escort Ms. Chardon to the poker room in
about...umm, fifteen minutes or so?”
“Certainly,” she said with a finger snap to get the waiter’s
attention. “Mr. Cross will be dining in the back after all.”
“Okay,” Keith answered casually. “Consider it taken care of.”
“We’ll see you in a bit then,” he informed Sierra before
strutting off.
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The haughty Cortez was dragging a large pot with some rather
lame cards when Vinni entered the room. As usual, he was playing
very loose, which was a plus for Vinni, but also dangerous. “What’s
the game Jake?” he asked the dealer to announce his presence.
The dealer acknowledged with an acknowledging smile, “Good
evening, Mr. Cross.” Brandy had arranged for strategic position.
Juan sat two seats to his right.
“No Limit Omaha,” another friendly face at the table informed.
“You’d better deal me in then.” With a finger pointing at the
Hispanic man, he said casually, “You look a little familiar. Don’t I
know you from somewhere?”
Juan’s reply was augmented by a strong Spanish accent. “I’m the
guy you trapped in a bad beat a few weeks ago.”
“Let me see, now. Was that on a Friday night? I was in seat one
and were you in seat four? And was there about nine-hundred grand in
the pot? I had four jacks and were you holding four deuces? Yeah,
now that you mention it, you do look a little familiar. What’s the
name again?” The remarks were intended to antagonize the man and the
ploy seemed to be working.
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“Juan, Juan Cortez. If you wanna play in this game, you need
lots of money, Mr. Cross. And this time I’ll be taking it from you!”
“I’m a little strapped for cash at the moment,” he proclaimed.
“I can manage about two. Max, fix me up and bring us a new setup
will ya?”
“Two-hundred-thousand ain’t shit at this table,” Cortez
arrogantly advised.
“How much have we got there, Max?”
“Two million, sir.”
“Will that do, Poncho?” he said with a wink to commence an
extensive series of intimidating gestures. There were six other
players in the game, and they all knew Vinni. Though he had never
actually played with any of them before, there was an array of
insightful memories that indicated otherwise.
Vinni would play the any hand Juan raised on regardless of the
cards dealt and it only took about ten minutes for the first
opportunity to challenge his mark.
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“Twenty-two thousand,” Cortez boldly announced.
“Let’s make it fifty,” Vinni declared.
“You didn’t even look at your focking cards,” the Latino
cautioned. He threw in even more chips for a re-raise.
Vinni shot a meaningless glance in Juan’s direction. “Didn’t
need to. I call.” The dealer flopped the first three cards, the six
of diamonds, eight of spades and three of clubs. “It’s your bet,
Poncho.”
“Juan!” the man sternly corrected. “I bet fifty thousand and I
dare you to raise me.”
“Oh, man. I wish you hadn’t dared me. If there’s one thing I
can’t resist, it’s a dare. The man dared me,” Vinni said to the man
seated on his left. “I guess I’ll have to make it an even hundred.”
An arrogant smile was designed to further agitate the man.
“I call this man’s bet...and I’ll check to heem in the dark.”
“In that case, the appropriate thing for me to do would be to
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bet it in the dark, right? One-hundred-thousand to go,” Vinni
aggressively pursued.
The dealer turned the next card, the ace of hearts. Juan
quickly raised Vinni’s blind bet. “Three hundred thousand!”
An ace was the worst card that could have hit the board.
“Dollars?” Vinni stated with a grimace. “I’d better just call then.”
“Maybe you should look at your focking cards,” Juan urged as
the dealer pushed the river card into position, the five of clubs.
“This time, I bet! Half a million.”
“It wouldn’t be fair to take all your money on one hand. So,
I’ll be nice and just call,” Vinni politely conceded. The four cards
were still lying untouched. “So, what have you got, Poncho?”
Juan turned up his cards. He had a pair of queens to go with
them, but when combined with the cards on the board, his pocket aces
translated into a set. He pressed his fingers down hard on the cards
to hold them in place. “The winner, I believe!”
“Oh, a set of aces is a good hand, but let’s not be too hasty
now. Three aces don’t beat a straight, do they? Go ahead Hank, turn
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‘em up.” The player to his left slowly reached for Vinni’s cards and
turned them over one by one; the four of diamonds, the king of
diamonds, the jack of hearts and then he peeked at Vinni’s last hole
card and began shaking his head. “And the seven of hearts makes a
straight,” Vinni said to finalize the hand, “Right?”
“I’ll be damned,” Hank announced with a slow roll to show the
seven of spades.
“Ah, spades are close enough,” Vinni bragged.
“That is amazing,” another player said resolutely.
“What the fock?” Juan roared in an irate tone of voice. Another
VC bad beat at his expense sparked a silent rage. He ripped the four
cards in half and tossed them into the air then stormed away from
the table.
Vinni was boasting with a bit of soft laughter to ensure the
intimidation factor. Knowing which button to push and when are
traits that Vinni had mastered long ago. “Don’t be angry, Juan. I
got a frisky and a little lucky. It’s poker. Shit happens. C’mon,
sport. Sit back down,” he prodded. “You’ll probably win it back.”
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Juan calmed himself quickly and returned to lean on the table
with a look of profound determination. “Heads up, man...just me and
you.”
“Heads up? That’s no fun.”
“C’mon, big shot. Let’s do eet!”
Vinni was still dragging in the pot when Sierra made her
entrance and the timing couldn’t have been better. “Well, well,
well,” he cordially addressed. “It doesn’t look like I need it
tonight, but a pretty little thing like you could bring a guy some
luck.” He patted his hand on the cushion of an empty chair next to
his. “I’ve got a nice comfortable spot for you right here.”
“The girl is with me, ausshole!”
“Oh,” he said as if he had just made a major mistake. “I’m
sorry, Poncho. No harm intended, but way to go tiger. She’s quite a
looker. You’re a very lucky man to have a woman like that.”
“Forget about her. Hold Em...heads up. Are you afraid to play
me?”
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“Me? Afraid to play you? I just raked in a million-dollar pot
and most of the money was yours. So, it’s gonna be kind of hard top
that. What else have you got?”
“Anything you want, man.”
“Well, now. This could get interesting after all. Let’s see,
now. You say the lady is with you, right?” Juan acknowledged with
squinting eyes. “You’ve been avoiding her all night anyway. Why
don’t we play for her?”
“Are you a focking crazy or what?”
“Probably or what, but you did say I could play for anything
and that’s the only thing you’ve got that I want. But hey, if the
stakes are too high, I understand.”
“Wait just a minute,” Sierra abruptly injected. “I am not one
of Juan’s commodities to be bartered with for your amusement. Forget
it, Juan. That’s not happening!”
“Well, Poncho, it looks to me like the deal is off,” he implied
with a grin and another daunting wink.
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Juan was clearly considering the proposition and the very
thought was enough to infuriate Sierra. “Juan,” she beckoned to
repudiate.
“Shut the fock up beotch,” he growled.
“Juan,” Vinni reprimanded, “that’s no way to talk to a lady.”
“So, you want to play for the focking girl? Alright, big shot.
We play.”
“How dare you?” Sierra barked with an angry sneer. “You don’t
own me!” The statement was intended as much for Vinni’s ears as it
was Juan’s. “You’ll take me home this very minute and I mean NOW!”
she demanded.
Juan looked through her with cold dark eyes. “Sit the fock down
and shut the fock up. I said we play.”
There was a moment of extended silence as everyone in the room
began to consider the intensification of the circumstances. There
would be no advantage like V-41 had in his game. Considering Juan’s
disposition and the potential ramifications if he were to lose, the
end-results could prove to be devastating for Sierra. Any chance of
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a relationship with Sierra was now riding the outcome of a poker
game.
“Alright, Juan,” Vinni semi-reluctantly agreed with another
reassuring wink to the bewildered lady. “I’ll play ya heads-up for
an hour. The man with the most chips wins. Is that fair enough for
you?”
“Not quite. If you win, you get my girl. What do I get if I
win?”
Vinni paused to consider those stakes. “I wouldn’t know. What’s
a girl like that worth to ya?”
“How about everything you have on the table. That’s almost five
million.”
“Hey, I’d consider that a bargain. You’ve got yourself a deal,
Poncho,” Vinni declared with reassuring eyes fixed on the prize.
“I’ve got to say, if the lady was with me, you couldn’t have come up
with a figure high enough.”
“Deal the focking cards,” Juan crudely instructed.
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A small group of spectators took up positions around the table.
They started on an even keel of one million in chips. Everything
else remained on the table was pushed to the side.
Vinni played smart, waiting patiently for the perfect
opportunity to strike. Juan was playing loose and rather wild, which
made him extremely dangerous, particularly in a heads-up game. If
Juan got lucky at the right time, Vinni could easily lose. Finally,
after about forty minutes of play, the hand both were waiting for
found its way to the table.
It is the potential for having the second-best hand that makes
poker so challenging. Vinni knew the odds, but more importantly,
knew how to read his opponents. In the long run, the better players
typically come out on top, but on any given day or hand, the worst
player can take down the best of the best.
Vinni was holding the king and queen of Spades and had raised
the pot to $100,000 before the flop. Juan quickly re-raised another
hundred. Vinni loathingly called. The stage was set for the epic
showdown.
The dealer’s flop brought the Ace of hearts, the Jack of spades
and the Ten of spades. Vinni had a straight-flush draw, the highest
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possible hand, but based on the pre-flop action, Juan most likely
had a set of aces or jacks. Vinni checked to Juan, who quickly bet
$200,000, then followed with a casual call. Juan was an aggressive
player, which meant that he would probably push hard on the turn
even if the card failed to improve his hand.
The turn card was the Jack of diamonds, a terrible card for
Vinni. Juan most likely had a full house and there was a distinct
possibility he was now holding four of a kind. In either case,
Vinni’s hand was now worthless and there were only two cards in the
deck that could save him. The odds were stacked heavily in Juan’s
favor.
“Fifty-thousand,” Vinni said to entice the anticipated raise.
The flamboyant gambler had a strong hand and didn’t want to run
his opponent off with too large of a raise. Juan downplayed the
strength of his hand with a very modest raise instead, “I bump it
fifty.”
The lack of aggression was an obvious tell, which convinced
Vinni that Juan had four of a kind. A full house would have been
pushed a lot harder to protect it. Vinni did however manage to
accomplish his primary objective; the river card was delivered at a
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substantial discount.
“I’m in,” Vinni said with the power of positive thinking in
full force. Stranger things had happened lately. He was feeling
lucky and, as luck would have it, Vinni’s miracle card hit the
board. The nine of spades gave him the ultimate poker hand. The only
thing that would sweeten the ‘pot’ was if Juan was holding four-of-
a-kind. Vinni opened with two hundred thousand.
Since so much was riding on this one poker hand, Sierra was
fidgeting nervously. She had no idea what to expect if Vinni lost
and was wondering how Juan would react if Vinni beat him. Vinni
wanted to offer Sierra a sense of reassurance, but even the
slightest glance in her direction could be construed as valuable
information.
It was Juan who thought he was springing a trap. The verbal bet
was exactly what he was hoping for. “Everything,” he said boldly in
response, as he luridly shoved several stacks of chips into the pot.
“All in.”
Vinni hesitated, but only long enough to train his vision on
the trophy seated several feet away. “Everything?” he challenged for
verification.
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“You heard me.”
“And that includes the lady?”
“I said everything, didn’t I?”
Vinni flipped a single solitary chip into the air to signify
his commitment. “I Have to call you, Juan.” Juan broke out of his
poker face with a smug curling lip as he turned the cards over to
flaunt the four Jacks. “I’ll be damned...four Jacks. That is one
hell of a hand, the same hand I had when I beat you last time.”
Vinni thumbed at the edge of his cards until Juan reached for
the pot. When he did, Vinni placed his hands on the pot as well and
asked with the impression of desperate gloom, “What are the odds?”
“That I would have four Jacks,” Juan arrogantly boasted with
astute pride.
“No,” Vinni replied with a condescending shake of the head,
“that I would have a straight flush.” He snapped the two cards
between his fingers and softly pressed them onto the felt.
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A variety of muffled comments began echoing through the room.
“You have got to be focking kidding me,” Juan blurted with gritted
teeth. He gripped the rail of the table and the small crowd pulled
away in anticipation of it flying across the room. But Juan took a
very deep breath instead, gracefully snatched a sleek leather jacket
from the back of his chair and said, “Mr. Cross, you are one lucky
mauther-focker.”
“That I am, Juan,” Vinni replied with another huge grin aimed
at Sierra. “the luckiest man in the world!”
Juan proceeded to make a hasty, but somewhat dignified exit. He
paused for a moment in front of his date and attempted to formulate
some sort of witty remark but found himself at a complete loss for
words. In dejected embarrassment, he darted out of the parlor. Vinni
leaned back and released of a huge sigh of relief into the air. He
glared at Sierra with a profound sense of pride.
She was undoubtedly relieved herself, but still felt victimized
by how the circumstances played out. It was resentment not
appreciation he saw in her eyes. After a short ‘who will flinch
first’ contest, she marched out of the room without a word.
“Damn,” Vinni spouted to express his disappointment for the
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small crowd in the room. “It looks like I come away emptied handed
this time, but a lady like that is well-worth the gamble.”
“Gentlemen,” Brandy inferred with a painted smile, “I think
it’s safe to say that we are witnesses to one of the best hands ever
played at Brandy’s Bluff. That one’s going down in Brandy’s Hal
Fame. That was incredible, Vinni. Tommy, let’s get a picture.” Vinni
posed with Brandy behind a huge stack of chips and holding the
winning cards.
“That my love,” he said with no room for debate, “is what you
call pure unadulterated luck. Jimmy, me boy, I don’t know how you
managed to pull that nine of spades out of your ass, but you saved a
lovely young lady from a lot of heartache tonight. Make sure that
excellent dealer gets twenty-five out of there.”
“Thank you, Mr. Cross. Thank you very much,” the very
appreciative dealer beamed as Brandy raked out the dealer’s tip.
“It looks like there’s about four million on the table and
another two in your racks,” Brandy declared. “Are you cashing in?”
“Nah. Put it on my account, Brandy. I’ll be back to collect it
soon enough. You folks have a great evening.”
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“You too, sweetheart. Good night.”
He shuffled out the front door, where the valet had his car
waiting. Vinni tossed his suit coat behind the driver’s seat and
gave the valet five one hundred-dollar bills. “I had a good night,
Tim.”
“I’m glad. When you have a good night, I have a good night,”
the valet eagerly replied. “Thank you, sir.”
Just as he was about to climb in, he sensed a piercing stare
and turned around to find Sierra leaning against a stone column. He
rested his folded his arms on the roll bar. “So, are you going to
marry me or what?”
Those were the last words Sierra expected to hear and they
prompted a humble grin. As she strolled towards the passenger’s side
of the car, the valet hustled over to open the door. Her eyes remain
locked on his as she climbed in without a word. Vinni slid into the
driver’s seat and they raced off down the hillside.
“I’m not a wealthy woman,” she began to confess as they
traveled along the coastline.
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“Ah, that’s okay. I’m not really broke,” Vinni buoyantly
replied.
“Obviously. So, what do you do...for a living I mean?”
“Well, I suppose you could say I’m in the business of
acquisitions. I have a knack for acquiring things of value.”
“You make it sound as though you are a thief. You aren’t, are
you?”
“Of course not,” he answered before hesitating to reconsider,
“at least not according to the common definition.”
“Oh, I think you are an excellent thief,” she said with
reveling passion.
“You do?”
“You stole my heart tonight and I was convinced that no one
could get past my security system.”
“If I pulled off a heist like that, I’d consider retiring.”
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“If you intend to keep me around, I’d highly recommend it.”
“It’s only fair to warn you. I intend to treasure you forever,”
he declared.
“Isn’t that sweet? Another admirable quality exposed. So, you
think we have what it takes to last forever?”
“I’d bet seven years of my life on it,” he replied with
insightful assurance.
“Someone once told me, it’s not really gambling when you’re
betting on a sure thing.”
“A wise person I’m sure. By the way,” he finally asked
presumptuously, “where would you like me to take you?”
“Home I suppose.”
“And where might that be?”
“Home is where your heart is. Right?”
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The short ride to Vinni’s house was consumed by a sea of
tranquil thoughts. A great many changes had taken place in very
short period and Vinni wasn’t sure how it would all play out, but
the latest development was the most wonderful of all. For the first
time in his life, he had fallen in love and was beginning to
experience the genuine meaning of true happiness. ‘Not too shabby
for an old carpenter from Daytona Beach,’ he thought.
Vinni’s extravagant sports car was certainly impressive, but
Sierra’s interests peaked at the dinner table. The attraction was
genuine and didn’t stem from the prospect of an affluent financial
statement, but the magnitude of Vinni’s estate was clearly
overwhelming. “This is your house?”
“It’s the place I call home,” he said casually as he pressed
the button to open the doorway through the wall.
“Wow...that’s pretty handy.”
“Yeah, I thought so. I never cared much for things most
consider typical. Would you care for a nightcap?”
“A glass of Merlot would be nice,” she said softly as stepped
from the car and began gawking at the lavish decor. “How many people
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live here?”
“Just two,” he said quite casually, “and that’s only if you
decide to stay.”
It certainly was an intriguing invitation. “If I did,” she said
lethargically, “how often would we actually see each other? This
place is enormous. The last thing I want is to become a victim of
the golden cage syndrome.”
“Just how much time we spend together, I’d leave entirely up to
you, but as much as you like.” He handed her a glass of wine and
took a sip from his.
“This is an excellent wine Vinni. It has a unique citrusy aroma
with a supple, almost creamy finish. Where is it from?”
“That’s a product of VC Vineyards, a Napa Valley winery I
acquired a few years ago.”
“That figures. It wouldn’t surprise me if you told me you
stomped the grapes yourself.” Her sense of humor was beginning to
break through and, though her level of intellect was quite profound,
it was her down-to-earth personality that he found so very
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refreshing.
“Nah I just sell the stuff.” Since very little in the romance
department had changed in the past seven years, Sierra’s tantalizing
presence was revolutionizing his perspective. In all his memories,
both old and new, he couldn’t recall experiencing such an awesome
feeling of comfort.
Sierra couldn’t recognize or comprehend the subtle changes that
were constantly taking place around her. Even drastic changes were
overlooked and usually attributed to peculiar moments of déjà vu. It
all somehow seemed quite normal.
He led her out onto the balcony to experience the breathtaking
view. “My God Vinni, this is the most magnificent sight I’ve ever
seen.”
“It’s twice as beautiful tonight. We could take a moonlight
cruise if you like,” he offered to flaunt one of the estate’s many
amenities.
“Some other time perhaps, I’m quite content. I’ve always
believed that it’s the company you’re with that makes where you are
special.”
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“I couldn’t agree more. It’s amazing to me though; I never
realized until now how gloomy this place was. You literally light up
my life and I think that’s pretty cool,” he said in recollection of
a conversation with himself seven years ago.
She was surprised by the idle use of the somewhat juvenile term
in reference to romance. “Cool?”
“Sorry, I was just reminded of an old expression I used to use
when I was a little younger.” He chuckled as they stepped back the
opening. The sliding glass doors closed automatically behind them.
Sierra became fixated on a very unusual table that served as a
centerpiece in his foyer. “Do you like it?” he asked.
“I love it. I’ve never seen anything quite like it. Where did
you get it?”
“I made it.”
“You made this?”
“With my own two hands. You might say that woodwork is a pious
hobby of mine.”
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“It’s absolutely gorgeous,” she said with earnest admiration.
“You’re a man of many talents.”
“I’ve had a few creative moments in my day.” Since his hands
were so well-manicured, it was hard for either of them to envision
the abrasive calluses that garnished them just a few days ago. Some
sound advice to his former self also served to keep him in tiptop
condition. Vinni was in excellent shape for his age.
“Apparently,” she said while trying to conceal an obvious yawn.
Vinni interpreted the signal and decided to put her mind at
ease. “Your room will be the first door on your left at the top of
the stairs. It has a full bath, its own wet bar and pretty-much
anything you might need. I’m sure you’ll be quite comfortable, but
there’s a phone in every room. If you need anything...anything at
all, don’t hesitate to ring me on the intercom...777.”
“Thank you Vinni, I’m sure I’ll be fine.”
“Unfortunately, I have some business to take care of in the
morning, but when I get back, maybe we could spend the rest of the
day together.”
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“I’d like that.”
“Believe it or not, you are the first woman to grace these
floors since I’ve lived here.”
“Am I now?” she asked with obvious doubt. “And you have lived
here how long?”
“I just moved in.”
“Really?”
“In a manner of speaking,” he said with a smile. “If you get
hungry, the main kitchen is right through there.” He pointed. “The
library is through those double doors and there’s an exercise room
right down that hall. If you like to bowl, the game room is down
those stairs.” Again, he pointed with one finger lifted off his wine
glass.
“A bowling alley?” she questioned in amusing astonishment.
“Yeah, I know. It’s a little corny, but I used to be pretty
good at it when I was a kid. So, putting a couple of lanes in seemed
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like a neat idea at the time.” He shrugged his shoulders.
“I’ve rolled a ball or two in my day as well and I wasn’t too
shabby either. We’ll have to play sometime,” she said to eliminate
any sense of awkwardness and put him at ease.
“You’re on.” Though it took him a few moments to muster the
nerve, he felt compelled to say it. “I don’t think I’ve ever said
these words to a woman before, but please make yourself at home.”
“That’s a first too? What are you, like twenty-two?” He rolled
his eyes and pumped a thumb upwards to indicate that his age was a
lot higher. “I was being facetious Vinni,” she clarified with her
lips pressed into a comical frown. “I appreciate the gesture and I
will make myself at home. So, where is your room?” she asked with
another curious grin.
“I’ll never tell,” he said to infer that there would be no
inappropriate advances tonight. He smiled boldly as he added, “but
if you play your cards right, I might show you some day.”
“That’s cool,” she said to mimic his use of the idiom. A timid
smile demonstrated his appreciation.
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Sierra liked everything about Vinni and what woman wouldn’t
relish the luxuries she was surrounded by? The house was certainly
elegant, but in a masculine sort of way. It could certainly use a
woman’s touch. Vinni’s intentions were subtle, but straight forward.
He wanted to ensure that there was no undue pressure. He had a
seemingly innocent disposition and extended to her tremendous
respect. By comparison to most of the men she had encountered in
California, Vinni’s old-fashioned Midwestern manners were a welcome
reprieve and, since her roots stemmed from a small Iowa town, their
karmas just seemed to click.
“I’ll see you sometime tomorrow then.”
“That’s it?” she said with a perplexing grin. He answered with
another innocent shrug of the shoulders. “You’re not even going to
try and kiss me.”
“You wouldn’t have let me anyway.”
“True,” she admitted.
Vinni leaned forward and kissed her lightly on the cheek. “If I
was looking for a piece of ‘apparatus’, I’d have been barking up an
entirely different tree. I can’t say that I understand it and don’t
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even know what ‘it’ is, but there is something very special about
you. I like having you around and I’d like to think we’re got a shot
at the long haul.”
“To the long haul then,” she toasted with the clang of their
glasses.
Vinni did his humble best to express his concerns for her well-
being as he escorted her up the staircase. “I’m sure that someone
somewhere is worried about you. Feel free to use the phone.”
“I won’t be using the phone,” she said to emphasize the fact
that she had no one to call.
“Listen, I really want you to be happy here. It won’t work for
me unless you are. There will never be any bars on my windows. If at
any time you are so compelled, you are free to walk out that door.”
“I’m not planning on going anywhere anytime soon.”
“Listen, I have lived alone all my life. I’ve heard men brag
about the extreme joy of romance, but the right girl just didn’t
come along. Although I’ve never really experienced ‘it’ for myself,
I think I got my first taste of what that might be like tonight. But
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I’ve also known guys who have crawled into a bottle trying to escape
the sorrow of a broken heart too, and I’ve never had one of those
either. Contentment has worked well enough for me through the years.
There comes a time when you’ve got to ask yourself that age-old
question. Is it worth the risk? For the first time in my life
Sierra, I want to know the answer. If you think we’ve got a
legitimate shot, I’m willing to take that chance.”
“You really mean that don’t you?” He nodded in humble
submission. “You’re a true gentleman Vinni Cross and those are some
pretty rare qualities to come by in this day and age.”
“Don’t get me wrong. I’m no saint, but I’ve got a good heart.
There isn’t a man on this planet that would try harder to please the
woman he loves.”
“Wow, you come on pretty strong don’t ya, cowboy?”
“At my age, it doesn’t make much sense to beat around the bush
and we might just find out that we weren’t meant to be. But if we
are, I see no reason to waste time finding out.”
“Okay, I’m not making any promises either, but I kind of like
to know the answer to that question myself. One day at a time?”
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“One day at a time. As much as I’d like to spend the rest of
the night getting to know you, it’s already been a very long day for
me, and I think we could both use some rest. So, with your
permission, I’ll say good night.”
“Permission granted. I can’t thank you enough for what you did
for me tonight...for everything. Maybe we can make up for some of
that lost time tomorrow. Good night, Vinni.”
“The pleasure was all mine and I’m glad you’re here.” He leaned
forward to kiss her once again, but this time on the lips and her
body instinctively pressed into his. He refrained from acting on the
urges that were welling inside and pulled away with a heavy sigh.
“Sleep tight, Sierra.”
She kept the door cracked open with an ear straining to hear
footsteps or other sounds that might provide some clue as to where
Vinni’s room might be. There were virtually none. She smiled and
closed the door.
Vinni sat up in his oversized bed with his arms folded behind
his head. With his eyes wide open, he stared intensely through the
glass ceiling into the heart of the cosmos beyond. Fate had provided
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another new and very interesting twist to his life. Vinni was in
love.
Thoughts of what his life might have been like with Sierra if
they had met years ago began to stir in his heart and this strange
new hunger impelled more intriguing possibilities. Since the mirror
gave him the power to enhance his past, he was beginning to envision
a scenario whereby he could arrange to meet her earlier in his life.
Even if orchestrated properly, he knew a stunt like that would be
risky, but it was conceivable and therefore achievable.
It was a form of greed driven by exotic fervor, something very
new to Vinni, but many wars throughout ancient history had been
fought over such obsessions. Love, the most powerful force in the
universe, had begun to saturate the depths of Vinni’s soul.
CHAPTER 6
My generation
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Vinni woke up early on Thursday morning with thoughts of Sierra
fresh on his mind. There were many things to discuss with V-41 and
he had a schedule to keep. In addition to the many projects that
were now underway, Vinni was now contemplating another.
Once V-41 had established contact with V-34, more and even
greater drastic changes would soon be taking place. That prompted V-
48 to begin considering the well-warranted concern of how tampering
with the past could potentially infringe on the future. One careless
decision made by any of his former selves could easily impede his
plans. Though it seemed like an inconceivable challenge, Vinni had
to find a means of establishing and maintaining some form of control
over the constant changes that were taking place on an hourly basis.
It had only been eight days since he discovered the mirror, but
the changes initiated in 2001 had been amplified significantly in
2008. Vinni had already accumulated wealth beyond anything anyone
could have imagined. His life had never been consumed by self-
indulging voracity, at least when it came to money or power, but it
was now being influenced significantly by a much more powerful
force.
A passionate desire for more of life’s most precious gift
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enticed him to consider the conceivable dangers of time-travel and
that sparked a new series of questions. What would happen to his
relationship with Sierra if the portal was inadvertently lost or
somehow ‘closed’ while he was on the other side? The thought of
being trapped forever without her was more disturbing than any other
he could conjure. The power of love was changing his perspective of
life and his entire vision of time-travel.
An hour spent with V-41 in 2001 was an hour lost with Sierra in
2008. Though he would rather have been at breakfast with his new
companion, Vinni was passing through to the newly acquired home of
V-41 instead.
“Good morning sunshine,” he said to announce his presence.
“Hey there old man,” V-41 replied into the air. “Did you get
any sleep last night?”
“Not much,” V-48 said without alluding to the reason why. There
was an uncertainty as to how V-41 might respond. Though he wanted to
share the details of his latest and greatest discovery, something
inside compelled him to refrain. The emotional impact that Sierra
had on his life would for the time being remain a secret.
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“I’m putting together a team to do most of the legwork for us.
That will free us up to spend more of our time enjoying these new
lives of ours.”
“You did well, Pal. In 2008, we’ve amassed quite an empire.
Life has an entirely new meaning.” At that moment the genuine
potential of their capabilities began to sink in. “So,” V-48
inveigled, “maybe we should consider how far back to go with this
thing.”
“What do you mean?”
“I’m just thinking out loud here, but if each one of us can
travel back in increments of seven years, how far back do we take
this?”
“I don’t know, but we’ve got to assume there’s no end to it. I
suppose we can go back as far as the portal allows.”
“With each step we take, there’s an increased element of risk.
What if we make a mistake?”
“We’re bound to make a mistake or two, but we should be able to
travel back and fix ‘em if we do.”
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“At this point, that’s a safe assumption, but we don’t know
that for certain and there’s also an age limit to consider.”
“Excuse me?” V-41 was clearly confused by this new topic of
conversation.
“What I mean is; we can’t exactly communicate this kind of
technology to a nine-year-old kid. At some point, we either stop the
chain all together or bring someone else into the loop, which opens
things up to a whole new spectrum of risk.”
“Yeah, I see what you mean. Frankly, I hadn’t given it much
thought, but I don’t think it’s necessary to go back any further
than eighteen or so. I mean, how much wealth does a person need
anyway? At the rate we’re going, we could rule the world if we
wanted to,” V-41 said suggestively.
“We probably could...but would you really want to?”
“You’ve got to admit, that’s a pretty fascinating thought.”
“It is, but we’re messing with shit we only know a week’s worth
of facts about. I think it would be best to keep thoughts like on a
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back burner. Where and how it all started to begin with makes me a
little leery about where and how it might end.”
“How do you think something like this got started?” V-41 asked.
“That’s anybody’s guess. It might have been some sort of tear
in the fabric of space and time. It could be that someone found a
way and developed the technology to pierce it. At least one other
person knows or knew about this thing. So, where are they now? What
happened to them?”
“Maybe they died.”
“If they died, it was most likely on the physical side. I’m
convinced that death doesn’t exist once you pass through. There’s
nothing there. Our predecessor could actually be floating around
somewhere in the past.”
“Wow. That is a scary thought.”
“There are a lot of things we haven’t put a whole hell of a lot
of thought into. If there is someone else from an earlier time
period lingering on the other side somewhere, all they’d have to do
is arrange to relocate that mirror before we discover it. Since
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you’ve got to know where that portal is in order to find your way
back to the present, we’d be screwed.”
“Do you think that’s possible?”
“Hell, I don’t know. I guess anything is possible, but because
of how and where we found it, I just don’t think that’s an issue. If
they were out there, I think we’d have known about it by now. Who
knows? The point at where this thing originated may not even be in
this world. The next trip we take could lead us into some entirely
new cosmic dimension.”
“Since we can see through to the other side before stepping
through, we should be alright, shouldn’t we?” V-41 asked
pessimistically.
“We don’t know anything for certain. Every time we pass
through, we open ourselves up to some freaky possibilities. If any
one of us in this little chain of ours screws up, they screw it up
for everybody. And, if we can’t find a way to fix it, it’s all over.
If one of our former selves dies, we’re all dead, right?”
“I suppose so.”
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“So, we need to develop a means of keeping each other in check.
We each need to know what the others are doing at all times.”
“I hear ya.”
“There’s a good chance that we’ll end up becoming the most
powerful man in the world. With that privilege comes some
obligations and a whole lot of responsibility. Do we really want
that kind of accountability?”
“Maybe we do...maybe we don’t.”
V-48 continued to shed some rational light. “It’s just me,
which is of course you, but I have to admit; I can think of a lot of
messes that mankind has managed to get itself into through the
years. If it is possible, I’d like to straighten out some of those
mistakes. We could prevent a lot of tragic events from taking place.
The big question is, should we? Do we have any business intervening
in and changing historical events? I’m thinking probably not.”
V-41 finally chimed in with some thoughts of his own. “I’m
inclined to agree, but can you imagine what might happen if a device
like this fell into the wrong hands? If someone with an evil heart
got a hold of this thing, the whole world could go to hell in a
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handbasket overnight. A guy like Hitler wouldn’t have hesitated to
use it to make the world a better place according to his warped view
of supremacy.”
“But isn’t that in essence what we’re doing?”
“To some extent maybe, but we’re the good guys.”
“And that makes screwing with history okay?”
“It does get kind of freaky when you look at it from that
perspective. If there was some law of the universe dictating what
can and can’t be influenced by these capabilities, I think we would
have been tested by it already. All we can do is what we believe is
right and hope for the best. If something does go wrong, we’ll just
have to deal with it as best we can. Bottom line, we’ve got to be
prepared for anything.”
“Great minds think alike,” V-48 said with snigger. “So, with
all that weighing on your heart, are you ready Freddie?”
“As ready as I’ll ever be.”
“You’re sure?” V-48 asked with obvious discern.
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“Yes, Mom.” V-41 rolled his eyes to express his dismay at the
lack of faith. “I’m ready.”
“Okay, Pal. Good luck.” The entrance door to the room
containing the mirror closed behind him and latched shut. V-48 could
only watch as V-41 disappeared through the plane to begin his own
spiritual trip back to 1994.
Since V-41’s objectives would take a few days to complete, V-48
returned to 2008 with plans of spending the balance of his day with
Sierra. It was 10:15 AM when he knocked on her bedroom door. There
was no answer. He scampered down the stairs to search the huge
house. Taped to a fresh pot of coffee on the kitchen counter was her
hand-written note:
Vinni,
Thank you so much for last night. I woke up this morning
feeling as though I’ve known you all my life. I think we may have
stumbled on something special. I look forward to every moment we
spend finding out.
I hope you don’t mind, but I caught a cab and will be in San
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Diego most of the day. I have a few things to pick up at my
apartment and an old friend to check in on. I’ll be back in time for
dinner. Love, ‘S’
It certainly wasn’t the greeting he was hoping for, but he was
very understanding. The extra time would enable him to make some
arrangements for a romantic candle-light dinner to be served on the
veranda. Vinni wanted their first real date to be extra special, a
night she would never forget. Everything in his life seemed perfect,
but fate had an entirely different scenario and a variety of
extraordinary twists in store.
-----/-----\-----
V-41 read the headlines of the Tacoma News Tribune to confirm
the location and the date. Since September 19th fell on a Monday in
1994, peculiar adjustments had to be made accordingly. Equipped with
nothing more than a few good ideas and some sound advice from V-48,
he began to experiment with his unusual capabilities.
It was 7:30 AM Pacific time when he jetted up into the sky over
Tacoma. As V-48 had instructed, he picked a direction in accordance
with the morning sun and, in a flash, darted off at a phenomenal
speed on a south-easterly heading. He slowed down as he approached a
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range of snowcapped mountains. ‘The Rockies,’ he presumed. He
swooped down to view a sign along Interstate 70 which read, “DENVER
NEXT FIVE EXITS.”
He picked another point on the horizon and sailed effortlessly
through the sky at speeds he could barely fathom. When he approached
what he presumed to be the St. Louis area, he decelerated to search
for familiar landmarks. “That’s not St. Louis,” he blurted. “Kansas
City maybe?” He swooped down to confirm. “Oops,” he said with a
snicker as a billboard promoting the Indianapolis Speedway caught
his attention. “Guess I overshot my target.”
He backtracked following Interstate 70 West and at a much more
manageable speed. In a matter of minutes, he was descending on his
mark. “Lovely,” he said to describe the familiar smog-filled skies
of the surrounding area. He was soon descending on the same house he
was living in when V-48 had contacted him, but the house was empty.
Footsteps on the back porch signaled that someone was coming,
but it wasn’t Vinni. The door opened and in walked Sandy Bridges,
one of the girls he was dating at the time. A whimpering puppy
greeted her at the door. “Hello Snoopy,” she said in a childlike
voice. “Awe, is the poor baby missing his daddy? Come here, sugar.”
The nine-month old Golden Retriever fumbled anxiously on its hind
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legs to lick at the friendly face.
Vinni remained silent but was beginning to recall the peculiar
memories. Snoopy would develop into a true companion. ‘What a great
dog,’ he thought to himself.
“I’ll bet your hungry, aren’t you?” she said as she approached
a cabinet in the kitchen. She grabbed a bag of puppy food, poured
some into an empty bowl and filled his water dish at the sink.
As the hungry pup began woofing down its dinner, Sandy pressed
the play button on Vinni’s answering machine. “It’s time to replace
the siding on your home and we know you’ll want to take advantage of
our winterizing special...” She quickly pressed the erase button and
it advanced to the next message.
“Hi there,” a sexy female voice began, “I just wanted to let
you know that I had a great time Friday night. I’m looking forward
to next Saturday. Call me when you get back and keep your hands off
those Georgia peaches. I’ll see you soon. Bye sweetie.” It brought a
proud smile to his invisible face as he recalled segments of the
evening the caller was referring to.
Sandy, on the other hand, was furious. “You son of a bitch,”
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she said in angry frustration. “You’ve messed in the wrong nest,
buster.” Vinni was treated to an entirely new perspective of al the
trouble that message had caused. Sandy stormed toward the back door
and, in her fury, kicked the helpless pup across the floor.
“You bitch!” Vinni blurted instinctively.
The young lady froze in position and turned slowly to scour the
empty room with a questioning glare fixed on the puppy, the only
apparent candidate. Vinni did his best to mimic the growl of an
angry Doberman. With a look of unrestrained fear in her eyes, Sandy
scampered out the door.
Vinni spoke compassionately to the whimpering pup. “Hey little
buddy,” Its little ears perked up at the familiar sound of his
master’s voice. “Are you okay? I can’t believe she did that. She was
mad at me and took it out on you, didn’t she? Sorry about that,
Snoop. Don’t worry. I’ll get her back for that one.” The dog sensed
Vinni’s presence and was prancing eagerly. “I wish I could scratch
those ears for you, but that’s one of the many things I just can’t
do. You were the best dog I ever had. The bad news is, we’ve only
got a couple of years before you’ll get hit by a car. I’ll see if I
can’t find a way to keep that from happening.” That would be another
added to his growing list of intriguing challenges.
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Sandy had offered to take care of the dog while Vinni was
working in Atlanta. Logan, the girl who left the message, he’d only
met recently. Though the details of the incident were very fresh in
his mind, they somehow seemed irrelevant. His focus remained on the
purpose for this visit and the message served as a reminder where he
was at that juncture. So, he slipped outside and jetted off in the
direction of Atlanta Georgia.
It was 11:00 AM EST when he arrived at the construction site in
Alpharetta, a rapidly growing suburb northeast of Atlanta. V-34 was
working alone on the roof installing some plywood sheathing. That
gave V-41 an opportunity to study the situation and conjure up a
game plan.
It was a hot day and V-34 had shed his shirt to absorb some of
the tanning rays. Sweat was dripping from his face as the well-built
carpenter crawled across the plywood deck with his nail gun in hand.
With the rhythm of a drummer, he set a quick pace to anchor the
sheathing. V-41 was invited to recall just how proficient he was at
the time.
“Vinni,” V-41 said softly to begin the strange exploit.
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“Yeah,” V-34 said as if answering a fellow worker.
“We need to talk.”
The sound of a voice wasn’t enough to entice him to quit
working. “About what?” he replied as he paused to reload. He set his
nail gun to the side and plopped down with his arms resting on his
knees expecting to find a coworker standing over him. The puzzled
look on his face said more than words ever could. He shifted his
stunned expression from side to side and over each shoulder. He let
out a puff of wind through his lips. “Damn, it’s hotter up here than
I thought.”
He was just about to commence, when V-41 threw his second
pitch. “It is pretty warm isn’t it?”
V-34 fell back onto the seat of his pants. “Alright, what the
hell is going on here?”
“Look, I’m no expert on how to go about this, so bear with me.
Can you sneak away for a little while?”
“You have got to be shitting me.”
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“Yeah, I know. A voice in the air seems more than a little
strange, but this is for real. You’ve got to hear this.”
“There are only two things in life that I’ve got to do,” he
began, but V-41 finished the familiar phrase for him.
“Pay taxes and die.”
V-34 shook his head as he began to realize that he was
apparently answering a voice in his head. “Oh my God. I’m losing it,
man. That’s all there is to it.” He pulled a neatly rolled joint
from his shirt pocket and stared at it as if it was the culprit.
“Jamaican Black, some of John’s stuff if I remember right.”
“Say what?”
“You bought it from Johnny T. in Centerville before you left
for Georgia.”
“And you know this how?”
“Trust me. I know.”
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“Who the hell are you anyway?”
“This really isn’t the time or place to get into all that.
There are too many people around. Tell Bernie you’re not feeling
well and take the rest of the day off. I’ll fill you in on all the
fascinating details on the way back at the motel. Believe me, if it
wasn’t important, I wouldn’t be here.”
V-43 was obviously confused, but equally intrigued. “I can’t
just take off work.”
“If someone sees you talking to yourself, that’s going to be
kind of hard to explain. All I can tell you is the same thing I was
told when it happened to me. I know it’s not an easy thing to do,
but you’ve got to trust me on this.”
“First and foremost, if you really know me...you know that I
can’t afford to take any time off. I need all the hours I can get.
Secondly....wait a minute. What the hell am I saying and who the
hell am I saying it to? I’m talking to myself. Damn, I really am
losing it!”
“You’re not losing anything.”
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“That’s it. It’s gone.”
“You’re fine Vinni.”
“I’m glad you think so. Jesus, I hear imaginary voices.”
“You aren’t imagining anything. This is for real and I’m for
real.”
“No way, Hosea. Hearing voices in your head is one thing but
listening to them and carrying on a conversation with them is
another. I’m not quite ready for the schizophrenia factory.”
“If you’ll listen closely, you’ll realize that it’s not really
such a strange voice. It should sound a little familiar. The fact
is, as difficult as it may be to believe, this is the most important
conversation you’re ever gonna have. The bottom line is I’m not
going anywhere. So, you just as well take some time out and listen
to what I’ve got to say.”
“The thought doesn’t thrill me, but it certainly doesn’t seem
like you’re going to shut up either. I guess I don’t have much of a
choice. Do I?”
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“Not really.”
“Holy shit,” he said humbly and with a frantic look of
atonement. “This isn’t God, is it?”
“No, partner. It’s not God, but it’s not the devil either.”
V-41’s intriguing statement inspired a new perspective. “Well
then, if I am going off the deep end, I just as well get it over
with. Alright, voice. You got me, but if this turns out to be a
practical joke, somebody’s going to be wearing their ass for a hat.”
“It’s no joke, Vinni. It’s actually some pretty awesome stuff.”
“It damn well better be.”
“That’s the spirit. I’ll be waiting in your truck.”
V-34 was shaking his head in disbelief but collected his tools
and started down the ladder. As he was climbing down, he noticed
another carpenter perched on a scaffold just below the roof. The man
had clearly overheard the odd conversation and had a very strange
look on his face. Vinni glanced back at him with an embarrassing
frown and shrugged his shoulders.
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“Pops,” he yelled to his supervisor over the loud sound of
high-pitched table saw. “Got a minute?”
“No,” the old pudgy unshaven guy exclaimed. “What?”
“I’m not feeling too good. I really thought I was going to toss
my cookies up there.”
“Okay. Take a break then.”
“Actually, I was thinking I’d better take the rest of the day
off and head back to the room.”
“Hmmm...”
“C’mon Pops, have you ever seen me slack off?”
“Can’t say that I have, but you know I’m shorthanded.”
“I know you are, Bernie. I’ll make it up to you, but there’s
something weird going on. I’ve got to get the hell out of here. I’m
sure I’ll be fine in the morning.”
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“Go,” Bernie incited with another short sentence and a grumpy
frown. “Go!”
“Thanks, Pops.” He peeled off his nail apron, flung it over his
shoulder and strolled across the red clay to his truck. “Okay,” he
said with distinct uncertainty as to whether anyone might be
listening, “Are you happy now? I just let my crew down.” He waited
with skeptical curiosity for a reply half hoping it wouldn’t come.
“I know that wasn’t an easy thing for you to do, but I promise
to make it worth your while,” the voice replied.
“So, you’re still here?”
“Of course, I am and I’m not going away for a long, long time.
You’d better get used to the idea.”
“Alright, now you’ve got my undivided attention, what’s the
deal?”
As they drove down the highway, V-41 began the long, detailed
explanation. When they arrived at the motel, it was merely a brief
stop to pick up some belongings. By 11:45 AM they were in route back
to St. Louis and would soon be on a plane to Seattle. This time V-34
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would retrieve and secure the mirror before the Vegas festivities
began.
Since the mirror was being stored for eventual sale in an
auctioneer’s warehouse, it didn’t take much persuasion to convince
the manager to sell it. V-34 purchased it for $200 and, to expedite
things, arranged to have it shipped to Vegas with him on the plane.
It would soon be securely stored in the basement of his home in
Edwardsville.
-----/-----\-----
“Okay, I’ve done everything you asked. I’ve flown across the
damn country to get this damn mirror and I’m almost broke,” V-34
said to his new invisible mentor. “What now?”
“This is where the fun begins. First, you’ll buy a ticket for
the Missouri Lottery, which you will win by the way. Then we head to
Vegas, where you’ll make some serious cash and start building a
decent bankroll. When we get back to Edwardsville, you’ll collect
your lottery winnings. That’s about 180 million by the way. After
that, you’ll get involved in some lucrative Real Estate and stock
investment deals. From here on out, you, me and our counterpart in
2008 all get a little wealthier every day. Pretty cool, huh?”
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“It certainly doesn’t suck.”
“And, if everything goes according to plan, you may get to take
little trip through time of your own.”
“You mean WE, right?”
“No, sir. That’s the only drawback I’ve found so far. Each one
of us can only go back seven years. We’ll delve into all the details
later, but there are a lot of other things you’ll need to learn
first. Every aspect of everything we do must be carefully
coordinated with our future self in 2008. That’s where it all
started.”
“Cool,” V-34 said in utter amazement, “but this sounds like a
very freaky trip you’re taking me on.”
“You have no idea. I’ve got all kinds of info for you and the
sooner we get started, the sooner we get rich. I can’t even imagine
what we’re worth in 2008.”
“I haven’t been to Las Vegas in ten years. Any chance I’ll have
time to play some poker?”
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V-41 laughed out loud, “Like you’ve never played it before,
Pal. You’re going to love this.”
-----/-----\-----
Once V-41 and V-34 returned from Vegas, V-48 handed down
instructions and arrangements began the purchase process for the
California property in 1994. Vinni’s construction experience came in
handy, particularly when it came to the design of the secret vault.
V-48’s hindsight perspective prompted him to incorporate several
intricate enhancements.
As part of the new guidelines that V-48 had established, V-34
and V-41 would no longer pass through at will. From now on, each
generation would remain in constant communication. The number of
trips would be kept to a minimum and any intervention would be
carefully considered. Since the proverbial buck inevitably stopped
with him, all objectives had to be cleared through V-48.
Because he was instantaneously aware of every action taken by
his former selves and had distinct memories of each transaction, his
was the perfect method of verification. With each generation, the
potential for ramifications became more palpable. Every exploit
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added more complicated issues and concerns for each of them to
consider. The future was in perpetual chaotic change and, though it
at times seemed difficult to fathom, it all somehow made perfect
sense.
Though it seemed like months, it had only been three weeks
since Vinni had discovered the mirror. Vinni never had a problem
coping, but often wondered what effect the ongoing changes would
have on Sierra. For her, each new and drastically altered aspect of
her life seemed to be quite natural. When a change occurred, any
previous memories were simply replaced with new ones. By controlling
the magnitude of change in the past, Vinni minimized the impact on
Sierra and her best interests were at the heart of every decision.
Since he had memories of each change that occurred, the life-
changing enhancements for her usually provided him with some comical
and rather entertaining scenarios to observe.
Sierra might go to bed in the California mansion, but wake up
in their new home in the Hawaiian Islands without ever noticing that
a radical change had taken place. While walking through a hotel room
in Paris, she would suddenly find herself on the deck of their new
yacht with no recollection of ever being in Paris. There were a few
confusing moments, but Sierra typically chalked them up to peculiar
cases of déjà vu. Each significant change was simply perceived as
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part of her normal everyday life.
While V-34 and V-41 were building the dream, V-48 was spending
most of his time enjoying the true luxuries that the portal had
provided for him and the woman of his dreams. Vinni’s elaborate
private jet had been equipped with a special room where the portal
was secretly stored while they traveled. Because Vinni had to keep
in constant contact with his associates, the mirror was never very
far away. From the plains of Africa to the dirt roads of Mongolia,
he and Sierra set out to see the world.
Vinni was still working on a plan to enhance his collection of
memories with Sierra and, though he wanted to share the joy with his
former selves, he certainly didn’t want to impose. If one of his
former selves met and fell in love with someone else, his love
affair with Sierra would be jeopardized and that was an emotional
quandary he desperately wanted to avoid.
Rather than forcing Sierra on his former self, he devised a
plan to arrange for a happenstance meeting. He was convinced that
each would somehow recognize the other as their soulmate, just as he
had. There was a lot at stake if he was wrong, but if he could
secure another fourteen years with Sierra, the risk was well-worth
taking. If the plan worked, Vinni would get to experience the thrill
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of falling in love with her for the first time all over again.
-----/-----\-----
During a cruise through the Greek Islands on his private yacht,
Vinni felt compelled to check in on the team’s most recent activity.
Some very unusual changes were taking place and he felt the urge to
take care of business. It would mean interrupting the deluge with
Sierra, but as always, though she never really knew what his work
consisted of, Sierra was very understanding. He staged a mock
departure by helicopter then disappeared through the portal that was
stored in the hull of the ship.
V-41 had bid a temporary farewell to V-34 and stepped back
through to 2001 where he now found himself in the pre-dated version
of V-48’s elaborate mansion on the sunny shores of Southern
California. Some property in Hawaii had already been purchased and
the architectural drawings were nearly complete. V-41 was now
experiencing the unusual menagerie of newfound memories and the
rapid succession of drastic changes. It all seemed to be for the
better and everything so far was going according to V-48’s plan.
In a matter of days, fourteen years of phenomenal and rather
complicated changes had taken place in 2008. The acquisitions now
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being made by V-34 were rapidly culminating into a virtual citadel.
In accordance with V-48’s instructions, V-34’s team had been begun
developing a private Hawaiian island near Maui. In what seemed like
a matter of moments, the island was mystically transformed into a
personal paradise for V-41 and an even more spectacular complex for
V-48. Since he now had the financial means, V-48 was setting his
sights on the whole world. His genuine objective was to make the
world a better place for all its inhabitants.
After absorbing some of the peculiar transformations, V-41
reentered his vault and flipped a switch to alert V-48 as to his
presence. V-48 approached the retinal detector, which triggered an
electronic device to open the camouflaged wall in his private
quarters where the mirror was now stored. He noticed V-41’s beacon
and passed through to greet him.
“Hi there,” he said in a very distinguished voice.
“Vinni, me boy. How’s life in the future?”
“Couldn’t be better. Things are obviously going well for you
too. Your visit to 1994 was very productive.”
“In a matter of hours, I’m a billionaire. Yeah, I’d say it was
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fairly productive.”
“My portfolio has been amplified a bit as well,” he laughed.
“This thing has taken us much further than anything I had ever
imagined. I have more money than I could possibly spend.”
“That may be, but you’ve got a seven-year head start on me.”
“You’ll soon learn as I have that money isn’t everything. There
are only so many toys a guy can store in his attic. What I’d really
like to do is use our capability to solve some of the issues and
problems that plague society. There are countries still fighting
age-old wars over ludicrous religious beliefs. Terrorist activity in
2008 is at an all-time high and the United States is the prime
target.”
“I hear you,” V-41 stated. “What Bin Laden did to the World
Trade Center is still fresh in my mind. Four thousand people died
over what? The problem is the terrorists honestly believe they’re
doing their god’s work. They have no remorse and there is a never-
ending long line of lunatics willing to blow themselves up for what
they’ve been taught to believe in. How the hell do you combat
something like that?”
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“I don’t know, but what they did on 9/11 is nothing compared to
what they intend to do. In 2008 they have access to modern military
technology and even nuclear weapons, which they’re anxious to use on
us. It’s an absolute mess.”
V-41 paused for a moment before continuing, “As much as I
despise the vigilant methods of expressing their dismay, it’s kind
of hard to argue with them about one thing. It’s a sad fact, but the
United States hasn’t exactly set the best example of what a
democracy should be. It’s no wonder they perceive a capitalistic
society like ours as the road to ruin. In many ways, it is. When 5%
of the population owns 90% of the wealth. Something is terribly
wrong. Greed is an evil instrument.”
V-48 added some more of his thoughts. “Al Qaeda isn’t content
with destroying morality alone. What they see are the same things we
see, but with an entirely different perspective. I don’t think our
updated version of ‘We the People’ is what our forefathers fought
and died for.”
V-41 picked up where V-48 left off. “Political corruption runs
rabid and violent criminals are free to roam the streets. Drugs and
guns are way too easy to come by. Violence is at an all-time high
worldwide. You’re right. Democracy is a far cry from a perfect
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system and its sad when citizens can’t trust their own government.”
“People in this country have allowed too many problems to get
way out of hand. I’m not sure how, but if we’re in a position to do
something about it, maybe we should.”
“Woe, Captain Marvel. Slow down and get a tighter grip on those
reigns. Making a little money is one thing, but you’re talking about
changing the world. That’s some heavy-hitting stuff there. We’d
better think long and hard before we step into that arena. Who are
we to fix anything and how would someone like us go about it?”
“Well,” V-48 injected, “we’ve been blessed with the financial
means to sponsor such an operation. We already know most of the
mistakes that mankind is going to make. It seems to me we could
prevent at least some of them.”
“I don’t know if we’ve been blessed by this contraption or
cursed by it, but that’s a dangerous game to play. I can relate to
where your heart is Vinni, but let’s not forget one very important
fact. A few weeks ago, we were nothing more than a half-assed
carpenter. I seriously doubt we’re qualified for the job.”
“I don’t know. Jesus was a carpenter and look at all he
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accomplished.”
“Yeah, but as I recall, his old man provided some divine
assistance, God in the flesh and all that. Remember? For some
reason, I don’t think we’d get the same support.” He went on to add,
“And that’s another thing. What about the potential religious
ramifications? If we start changing world history, who is to say we
wouldn’t be, or haven’t been already, messing with God’s plan? We
still believe in God in 2008, don’t we?”
“Of course, I do, but we also have a technological marvel in
our hands. Maybe it’s been placed in our hands for a reason. Maybe
it’s our destiny. Maybe we were chosen to play this role in God’s
plan for the future.”
“Maybe is the key word here. Before we go trekking off on some
feeble-minded philosophical campaign, maybe we should take some time
to find out a whole lot more about this mystic portal of ours.”
“Time,” V-48 said with an arrogant laugh, “is the one thing we
have an unlimited supply of.”
“That’s all the more reason to take it slow.”
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“You’re right, there’s no reason to rush in, but if we are
holding the key to world peace, there’s nothing I’d rather do than
unlock that door. We’ve got the world in our hands and a tiger by
the tail. We need to start thinking globally.”
“Everyone wants the world to be a better place but taking
responsibility for something like that makes me more than a little
nervous. We used to dive off the canal bridge when we were kids,
but, even then, we knew what was under the water.”
“Okay, so we take it slow, but I truly believe we can make the
world a better place to be.”
V-41 understood the compassion that his older counterpoint had
expressed. It would after all be his view in another seven years.
Though he shared much of the same fervor, he was certain that common
sense logic and level-headed thinking would ultimately prevail.
There was much more to consider and, as they would soon learn,
certain events have an extraordinary way of changing you think and
look at the world.
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CHAPTER 7
Bal Confusion
October 20th in 2008 started with another pleasant day on the
island estate. V-41 slid back to 1994 to assist V-34 who was
scheduling a time to contact the next generation, Vinni in 1987. An
irreversible chain of life altering events had been set into motion.
The polished mirror was now the centerpiece of an extremely
large and very extravagant vault that also contained a wide array of
high-tech equipment. Constant change continued to be an everyday
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occurrence. An elaborate network of computers had been programmed to
track and document the many changes in his life as they unfolded
around him. The success of his endeavors had instilled a sense of
infallibility and the prospect of manipulating world events was
beginning to seem even more conceivable.
Suddenly, out of the blue, a bright red warning light began
flashing on an overhead terminal. Since that system was installed
specifically to track the activity of nuclear weapons, Vinni was
flabbergasted by the only conceivable explanation. A few moments
later, an emergency siren on the island began to sound in the
distance. “Oh, my God,” he said in terrified astonishment, “tell me
this isn’t happening!” He began flipping various switches to monitor
an array of projections on a variety of screens. He was now watching
the same activity being observed by high-level military personnel in
underground shelters around the country.
Broadcasts from various television stations around the world
were fed into a split-screen format on two other monitors. Emergency
Broadcast System bulletins and shelter instructions were flashing on
every screen. “Shelter my ass,” Vinni blurted in response. “Sierra,”
he yelled out in a desperate plea, but she had left for the local
market. There was no way she’d make it back in time.
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Several local security cameras that monitored the neighboring
communities showed scenes of people running ramped, shrouded in
disoriented confusion. The ground beneath his feet began to shake as
several missiles launched from nearby subsurface silos. In the
distance, trails of more shot though the ocean surface from
submarines moored in Pearl Harbor and several others at sea. Vinni
was like a helpless child. He could only gaze in stunned
astonishment as the parade of speeding missiles began rocketing into
the sky.
The monitor looked like a shower of multi-colored streaks
racing in an array of directions. Live television broadcasts showed
scenes of utter chaos in the congested streets of every major city.
New York, Los Angeles and Chicago were in complete panic. Colliding
vehicles had created an impassable shield of mangled steel that
barricaded traffic on all roadways. People were forced to flee on
foot around and over the maze of vehicles. Each person seemed to be
seeking their own warped version of what a conceivable means of
escape might be.
“This just can’t be happening, not now...not ever. Sierra my
love,” he cried out as any chance of saving her began to diminish
rapidly. “Where are you?”
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Vinni glared at the menagerie of warheads that began to spray
out over the planet from each of the incoming missiles. Even in al
the confusion, he noted that certain regions of Alaska had been
spared from the pelting array of incoming strikes. Time, the one
commodity he thought there was an unlimited supply of, had run out.
Man’s most lethal weapons would soon be bombarding the planet’s
surface like a shower of carefully guided meteors.
He continued to observe the melee as he backed towards the
mirror and watched in fervent terror as several incoming warheads
appeared on the horizon. “I love you Sierra,” he screamed as a
bright flash filled the monitor for a camera outside his home. The
initial shockwave sent Vinni’s body hurling through the portal and
back into the spiritual silence of 2001.
He stared hopelessly from the other side as the window to his
world slammed shut. The light from red-hot molten rock and fiery
debris lit up V-41’s vault as it whisked the plummeting portal along
an exploding path of nuclear annihilation. The tremendous surge of
invisible energy that penetrated the portal dissipated into the air
like harmless radio waves. Slowly, the glow of melted steel began to
fade until only pitch-black darkness could be seen. In the blink of
an eye, the entire world that Vinni knew was gone.
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He sat in silent bewilderment, reflecting on all that had just
transpired. Invisible tears were flowing as he considered the life
he would now be destined to endure, an invisible spirit living in
the past without the love he cherished more than life itself. There
was nothing he could do and nowhere else to go. As he waited for V-
41 to return, thoughts of a world eradicated by nuclear war quickly
transformed into anger and desperation.
Almost instinctively, visions of a potential rescue mission
began to culminate. Perhaps there was a way of intervening to avert
the inevitable catastrophe. The one thing he still had on his side
was time and just enough knowledge of the future to conceivably save
it.
After more than an hour of restless abandon, V-41 finally
materialized through the mirror. “I’ve got company,” he said
gleefully.
“You completed the infrared detection system?” V-48 asked
despondently.
“Just finished rigging it up this morning. I can now register
minute traces of energy. You, my friend, now have an infrared
electromagnetic fingerprint. I’ve even got the team working on a way
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to give your body a visible form, using a small field of infrared
lasers. You’d have to be positioned directly in the field, but I
think it’s going to work. Pretty cool, huh?” There was a moment of
dead silence. “Well, what do you think?”
“That’s great Vinni. You did good.”
“Ah oh, that’s not the happy-go-lucky voice I’ve grown
accustomed to. What’s up?”
“You aren’t going to believe this...” V-48 began
“Are you kidding me? After the week I’ve had, I’d believe just
about anything.”
“They did it Vinni, they actually did it.”
“Work with me here. Who...did what?”
“A nuclear war just took place in 2008.”
“No way! You’re shitting me, right?”
“I wish I was. I was working at the console in the vault when
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all hell broke loose. I had to dive into the portal to escape the
obliteration. As far as I could tell, the rest of the world was on
the brink of complete annihilation. I just don’t see how anything
could have survived. My God Vinni, it was unbelievable, absolutely
incredible.”
“I can’t even imagine.”
“Trees, rock, steel; virtually everything around me started
crumbling up and burning like paper. No simulation I’ve ever seen
even comes close to depicting the actual effects. That was the most
incomprehensible display of extraordinary power I’ve ever seen.”
“Holy shit,” V-41 said under his breath with his head hanging
down in sorrow.
“My world and everything in it are gone, Pal. Kaput,” he
emphasized with a verbal whistle.
“Who started it?”
“There was no way to tell. There wasn’t enough time to study
it. I’m not even sure where the first strike came from. There
weren’t any warning signs either. Global trading in the Middle East
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was at an all-time high and the U.S. was in the process of
negotiating a new trade agreement. North Korea had nuclear
capabilities and it’s conceivable that Al-Qaida might have
orchestrated some sort of an attack. That’s really the only thing
that makes any sense at all. As far as I can tell, nobody saw this
coming.”
“That doesn’t surprise me. Who was first to strike back?”
“It appeared to be the United States. A short-range nuclear
missile was launched from a submarine in the Mediterranean shortly
after the first one was detected.”
“That doesn’t surprise me either.”
“That of course set off a chain reaction. Every nation on the
planet that had nuclear weapons started firing their arsenal at any
and every adversary. Every nation that had a grudge against another
took advantage of the opportunity to end it once and for all. There
were missiles streaking in virtually every direction and toward
every continent. They just started blowing each other up.”
“What about the portal?” V-41 asked.
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“Who knows? After seeing what I saw on the other side, I have
my doubts if it even still exists,” he said as he stared into the
void on the other side. “I can’t see a damn thing on the other side,
nothing.”
“Have you tried going back through?”
“Are you nuts? Even if the portal is intact, it’s buried in a
mountain of nuclear rubble and the radiation levels have got to be
off the charts. You’ll have to get it relocated to a safe place
before the attack begins. After you do, I’ll pass through and check
things out.”
“So, what are you going to do?”
“What do you mean, what am I going to do? This isn’t a ME
thing, sport. This is a ‘WE’ thing. The question is, what WE are
going to do?”
“I don’t mean to sound insensitive, but it was your world that
got wasted, not mine.”
“You’re right. Your world is just fine...for about another
seven years, you moron. Don’t forget. What’s mine is eventually
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yours. My present is your future. That’s what we’re talking about
here.”
“Okay, okay. You’re right. My bad. I don’t know what I was
thinking. Sorry,” he said in concession. “Consider it rephrased.
What are WE going to do?”
“Well, the one thing we do know is what’s going to happen and
when. If we can, we’re gonna find a way to prevent it. That’s what
we’re going to do. It’s a sad fact, Pal, but we’re the only ones who
can save the world. And how’s this for kicker? If we don’t fix this
mess, I’ll be trapped here with you...forever.”
V-41 sat back and ran his fingers through his hair. “I see your
point, but how do we go about pulling something like that off?”
V-48 was silent for a moment. “Hell, I don’t know, but we’ve
got seven years to figure it out. Do you remember that place in
Alaska where we went hunting back in ‘98?”
“Yeah, Tok. I remember.”
“From what I could tell; that region didn’t take any direct
hits. I’m thinking that would be a good place to building a hunting
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lodge. Have 34 start construction of a new facility up there,
something we can build into the mountainside for extra protection.
When the time comes, you can relocate the mirror to the vault inside
that complex. That way, I’d at least have access to the mirror. With
enough supplies, I could survive the aftermath and several years of
nuclear winter if I have to.”
“And what? Live alone like some sort of hermitical freak in
eternal exile?”
“Hey, at least I’d be alive. I’m wide open to suggestions here.
Toss something on the table. Bottom line, I don’t have a whole hell
of a lot of options.” His train of thought quickly began to change
as he began postulating. “We can recruit a team of people to live up
there. When I get back, I’d at least have some company and the
species would have some chance of survival.”
“And what? Repopulate the planet like some sort of Noah?” V-41
shook his head. “There’s got to be a better way.”
“If there is, we’ll figure it out. I damn sure don’t want to
live alone for the rest of my life and I don’t fancy the thought of
being stuck here with you either,” he said in a tone that expressed
all too well his desperation.
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“Yeah, but I’d be here for you.”
“That’s somewhat reassuring, but it would be pretty-weird
though, to be stuck in your time like some sort of spirit floating
around watching you relive my life. As much as I like having money,
I’d be perfectly content to get my old life back.”
“Well,” V-41 began to rationalize, “I kind of like the new
lifestyle. So, let’s hope it doesn’t come to that. Since this war of
yours doesn’t take place for another seven years, we’ve got plenty
of time to figure things out. We’re going to get you your life
back.”
“I sure hope so.”
“I’m thinking,” V-41 said with a chuckle to lighten the grim
mood. “this has got to be the weirdest freaking conversation a
person could possibly have. I can’t even believe we’re having it.
I’ll do whatever it takes, but we’re exploring a whole bunch of
unknown territory here. This could get a little tricky.”
“Listen Vinni, I know this is a lot to ask of anyone, but keep
in mind; every time you smell a flower, enjoy the taste of a fine
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wine or take a bite of succulent lobster, when you hold a beautiful
woman in your arms...those are all things that I will never be able
to experience again if we don’t fix this. More importantly, earth is
destined to become another desolate planet. I’d sure hate to waste
one of God’s greatest creations.”
V-41 sat silently for what seemed like the longest time and
then finally spoke with overwhelming compassion, “We’ll find a way.”
V-48 wanted to share the menagerie of emotions concerning the
loss of Sierra. Memories of her were eating away at his invisible
heart. If they were successful, he’d have his treasure back.
-----/-----\-----
The next several days were spent hashing out ideas and
exploring some rather radical plans. V-48 selected a site near Tok,
Alaska and the new fallout shelter was soon in place. The portal
would remain intact and V-48 would soon be able to return to
whatever was left of his world.
V-48 would monitor activity in the mirror daily. Once the work
had been completed and the mirror had been relocated, he would be
able to see the results on the other side. It took several days of
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careful coordination with V-34, but V-41 returned from the past to
report that all the arrangements were complete. The facility and the
mirror were now in place in 2008.
“Well, here goes nothing,” V-48 said with an encouraging light
now glowing on the other side.
“Good luck Vinni.”
He stepped through to find himself in a self-contained titanium
vault. The exterior had been constructed to resemble an elaborate
hunting lodge and several hundred feet above sea level in a
protective mountain range.
The first vault door led to his private quarters. Though it was
safe from radiation, a harsh sub-zero temperature attacked his
vulnerable skin. He retreated to the warmth of the main vault where
some protective gear had been hung. He dressed to face the harsh
elements.
Once inside the main cabin, he flipped a switch on a generator
to restart the system. The overhead lights slowly began illuminating
the plush interior walls. It was then that he noticed the team of
twelve people assigned to the facility. Their bodies were huddled
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together in a frozen heap. There was a very sad moment of silence.
The nuclear blasts had disabled the generators and the elements
had taken their toll long before the reset system became functional
again. The group had virtually nowhere to go and no means of
protection. Though he had never actually met them, there was an
abundance of fond memories consisting of them. They were, in some
bizarre manner, some of his closest friends.
Vinni would rescind the decision that had placed them in that
awkward predicament. Although it would mean dying in a nuclear blast
instead, it would be a quick and honorable death. They deserved
something better than a slow torture of freezing to death. It would
also mean facing the bleak barren world alone. This horrific burden
was his alone to bear.
Since the only way to save Sierra would be to drag her through
the strange portal, she would for the time being remain lost in the
holocaust. To rescue her by means of such a device seemed selfish
and somewhat cruel. She was better off dead than being trapped in
some spiritual existence in the past or being alive in the
devastated landscape of the future. That decision was subject to
change, but his choice was to forge ahead with the many wonderful
memories locked in his heart. There was still hope that their lives
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would be restored.
He walked over to the soot covered control console of the very
sophisticated computer system and brushed away the thick film that
had collected. He flipped another switch to start up the exterior
cameras mounted at various locations on the mountain. Although it
appeared to be fully functional, there was nothing but static-filled
screens. The effects of the nuclear blasts had either disabled the
cameras or covered their protective dome with snow and ash. If the
antenna on top of the mountain was still intact and if there were
any radio signals being sent, he should have been able to receive
them. The airwaves though were deathly silent.
One other camera had been installed in a shielded bell beneath
the antenna on top of the mountain. He pressed another button and
the protective walls surrounding it began folding down. An
electronic arm wiped away a collection of dust. The camera began
rotating inside the bell-shaped housing. It was his first glimpse of
the outside world.
The barren landscape of the Alaskan tundra seemed to be
drastically intensified by the effects of nuclear winter. A
combination of snow, filthy ash and thick dust still filled the air.
The terrain, which would normally have been drenched in sunshine
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twenty-four hours a day, was shrouded in mystifying darkness.
Strange electrical disturbances streaked through windswept clouds of
dust like perpetual heat lightening in a dark prairie sky.
Vinni knew that if the rest of the world was anywhere near as
desolate as their remote site in Alaska, it was doubtful that any
other human being anywhere else on the planet could have possibly
survived. Nuclear war had transformed Earth into a desolate
inhabitable planet.
He bid farewell to his friends with a sad reassuring smile,
shut down the generator and stepped back into the vault. His friends
would have an opportunity to live the very best of what their lives
had to offer. They would not be forced to endure the awesome despair
of their secluded circumstance. He stripped off the boots and heavy
coat, and then somberly disappeared through the portal.
“Well?” V-41 eagerly enticed.
“It’s in intact, but that is one very desolate planet back
there.” He stuttered as he added, “The team didn’t make it. I think
they’ll be much better off without that burden. Even if they had
survived, there wasn’t much of a life left for them to live anyway.
Take good care of them. As it stands, there’s virtually nothing for
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me to go back to.”
“Don’t give up hope just yet. I came up with another idea.”
“Lay it on me.”
“We go straight to the top on this one.”
“Meaning?”
“Maybe you should pay a little visit to the White House.”
“The White House?”
“Why not? They’re the ones pulling all the big strings anyway,
and a voice in the night might convince the President to take some
alternative actions. If we can get him to see the light, he can take
it to the U.N.” V-48 was silent as he considered the scheme. “It’s
certainly worth a shot.”
“You might be on to something there. They wouldn’t have to know
how I got into the past, just that I’m from the future. We could
keep the mirror hidden in the Alaskan facility. Assuming that the
computers are intact, I’d have full access to enough information
215
about future events to convince him that the threat is for real.” He
paused again. “If we accurately predicted a few events, he’d know we
were telling the truth.”
“It might just work.”
“I’ll get you his direct address but draft an email to the
president. We’ll route it through a cyber maze, so they’ll never be
able to track it. Tell him to expect a late-night visitor this
Friday night. What’s the date again?”
He brought up the calendar on his screen. “Friday would be the
26th.”
“Perfect. If he knows someone is coming, maybe my voice won’t
come across as a complete shock.”
“How do you think he’ll react?” V-41 chuckled.
“Hell, I don’t know, but I hope it scares the living shit out
of him. If that’s what it takes, I’m all for it. We’re about to put
a kink in the political hose.”
“I say, go for it.”
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V-41 coordinated with V-34. A lot of equipment was secretly
transported to the Alaskan facility, which was about to become the
headquarters for their covert operation. V-48 spent time scouting
the layout of the White House. V-41 was putting the final touches on
the latest edition of his infrared energy detection system. A
secondary unit would be delivered to a remote location for pickup at
the appropriate time by the President’s secret service detail.
Vinni knew it was a huge risk, but the fate of mankind was at
stake. Regardless of how it all played out, they had succeeded in
setting the stage for the most unusual political debate in world
history.
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CHAPTER 8
If I Could Turn Back Time
V-41’s urgent email message was read by the President himself
on Friday morning, but it had been given about as much consideration
as an invitation to a high school prom. It was late, about 2 AM, on
October 26th in 2001 when Vincent Cross entered the bedroom of
President George W. Bush. The president’s wife was representing the
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United States at the funeral services for an Egyptian ambassador.
The president was alone.
Vinni stood at the foot of the bed and whispered to wake the
Commander and Chief. “Mr. President.” There was no response. “Mr.
President, sir,” he said in a slightly louder voice.
“What?” the man mumbled as he attempted to gain his composure.
“It’s time for your meeting, sir,” Vinni answered respectfully.
“What time is it?”
“It’s about two o’clock, sir.”
“In the morning?” he complained with rousing vigor.
“Yes, sir,” Vinni replied.
“Well, this better be damned important! That’s all I’ve got to
say. So, who is it and what the hell do you want at this hour?”
“It’s Vincent Cross sir.”
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He was clearly confused by the declaration, “Who?” He rubbed at
his eyes and reached to turn on the bedside lamp. His eyes began
wandering around the room with the same puzzled look anyone else
might have. “What the hell is this?” He reached toward a buzzer to
alert the secret service.
“That’s not necessary, sir. You’re in no danger and what I have
to say is of the utmost importance.” The president refrained, but
his hand remained hovering over the distress alarm button. Vinni
took advantage of the brief reprieve. “You received an email this
morning informing that you that someone would be contacting you
tonight. I’m the one who sent it.”
“That’s it!” He slammed his hand down on the security buzzer.
“They won’t find anything,” Vinni advised just before the door
burst open.
Within seconds, six secret service men had surrounded the bed
and were searching the room with their weapons drawn. “What is it,
sir? What’s wrong?”
“I’m not sure,” the president said with a hint of embarrassment
in his voice. “Quiet! Just listen.” Each man was rigidly frozen in a
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defensive stance, slowly turning in place with the red laser beams
of their automatic weapons bouncing off various objects around the
room. They were clearly prepared to take any action deemed
necessary. The president was sitting up but remained in his bed.
“Well,” he said to entice a response. There was nothing but silence.
“I don’t hear anything, sir,” one of them men whispered.
“Me either,” another enlightened.
The president ran his hands through his hair and then down his
face. “Shush,” he commanded again. After another long period of pure
silence, he began to reconsider. “Hell, I don’t know,” he said in an
unconvincing tone and to minimize the embarrassment. “Maybe it was a
dream,” he amended with uncertainty and mostly to convince himself.
The agents slowly began holstering their weapons. “There was
nothing on the infrared safeguard monitor, sir.”
“Are you absolutely certain?”
“Yes, sir,” the senior agent replied, “but it has been one hell
of a week though. I’ve had a few nightmares myself.”
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“A nightmare...yeah, that’s probably what it was...just my
imagination.” He sighed with a cockeyed grin. “Let’s just forget the
whole thing. Go on back to your posts.”
“If it’d make you feel better, I’d be glad to stick around.”
“No, Steve. That won’t be necessary. I’ll be fine.”
“Alright, sir, but I’ll keep the team on alert just in case.
Give us a buzz if you need us.”
“I will. Thanks, boys.”
“Come on men. Let’s give the President his privacy. Good night,
sir.”
“Gentlemen,” he said to dismiss them. The President knew that
it was no dream and remained sitting up with the light on. It took a
few minutes to muster the courage, but he finally spoke into the
air. “You’re still here. Aren’t you?” he asked lackadaisically and
with increasing trepidation.
“I’m still here.”
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He clinched the sheets in a fist. “Damn! I knew it.”
“Again, I assure you there is nothing to be afraid of, but it’s
imperative that you hear what I have to say.”
“I can’t say that I cherish the thought, but it doesn’t look
like I’ve got much of a choice. So, now that you’ve got my undivided
attention, I’ll ask you again; who the hell are you and what do you
want?”
“I’m Vinni Cross, sir. I sent you an email message this
morning. I was standing beside you in the oval office when you read
it.”
“Message...” He shook his head in confusion. “What message?” He
thought for a moment. “Oh yeah. I did get a strange email, something
about a meeting, but what does that have to do with this intrusion?”
“The email informed that you’d be contacted tonight. I’m simply
following up.”
“This may come as a shock to you, but most of my constituents
contact me by phone or make an appointment with my Chief of Staff.
I’m not usually greeted by a voice in the middle of the night. This
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is the White House you know. So, before you talk to me, you’ve got
some serious explaining to do. And you can start with how the hell
you got in here in the first place?” He paused and looked around the
room again. “And, for that matter, where exactly are you?”
“You’re entitled to an explanation, but it’s really rather
complicated. I’m not at liberty to delve into all the details just
yet, but I am here, standing right next to your bed. The fact that
you can’t see me should provide you with some indication of just how
convoluted this situation is.”
“You are Vincent Cross, the billionaire?”
“In a manner of speaking, yes,” Vinni began to expound. “In one
very strange sense of the word, I am Vincent Cross, but in an
emblematic physical sense, one could certainly argue that I’m not.”
“You’re either Cross or you aren’t. Which is it?”
“Again, sir. I must emphasize that this is extremely
complicated. I know this is going to sound a little far-fetched at
first, but I’m Vinni Cross from the future.”
“Oh, bull shit,” he expressed with excessive sarcasm.
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“I’m sure it appears to be just that, but in complete honesty,
sir, that’s the absolute truth. I’m from the year 2008.”
“The billionaire, Vinni Cross, from 2008?” he indulged with
profound vexation.
“That’s correct.”
“If you expect me to believe that load of crap, you’re off your
rocker, son and barking up the wrong tree.”
Vinni chuckled at the analogy. “I assure you; I am of sound
mind and yours was the only tree I could think to bark up. All I’m
asking is that you hear me out on this. Since they won’t play much
of a role, in this case anyway, I’d like to dispense with the
formalities if I may.”
“Fair enough, Mr. Cross. We’ll consider the formalities
dispensed with.”
“Well, George. If you think this is bull shit, you haven’t
heard anything yet.”
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The President was clearly baffled by the bizarre notion but
intrigued as well and gradually caved in to Vinni’s perseverance.
“Let me be clear on one thing. I’m not saying that I’m even remotely
considering the possibility, but assuming I was, the first thing I’d
want to know is how you managed to accomplish this incredible time-
traveling feat of yours. Do you want to give that a shot?”
Vinni sighed aloud heavily. “It’s like this. I discovered this
portal, literally stumbled upon it. I have no idea know where it
came, how it got here or how it works. All I know is that I can pass
through it. When I do, I travel exactly seven years back into the
past and I no longer have a physical presence. I become the
invisible spirit that’s standing before you. People can hear me.
They just can’t see me. Truth be known, that’s how I attained my
extraordinary level of prominence and wealth...and that’s how I got
into your room undetected.”
“Uh huh,” the President skeptically replied with vague
acknowledgement. “Seven years into the past...and invisible.”
“I know how absurd it sounds, but it’s the God’s honest truth.”
Vinni’s sincerity seemed to be swaying the President’s
disposition. “This portal of yours, where is it? I’d like to see
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it.”
“So would a lot of other people if they knew about it. That’s a
secret that will never be told. I’m already taking a huge risk here.
You are now the only other man alive who even knows that this thing
exists. I’d like nothing more than to show it off, but I’ve learned
my lesson the hard way. This thing is dangerous. At least for the
time being, it’s imperative that we keep this little secret between
us.”
“Alright, call it our little secret then. Now let’s see if I’ve
got my ducks in a row here. You have in your possession a portal
that allows you to travel through time...seven years into the past.”
“That’s correct,” Vinni reiterated for clarification.
“You traveled back from the future and became the invisible
man, so to speak. A voice that claims to be one of the wealthiest
men on the planet. That’s a pretty eerie thought. If I was buying in
to your bull shit, which I’m still not by the way, I’d be inclined
to be more than a bit leery of your intentions. It makes a man in my
position wonder if this isn’t some sort of coup d'état, a scheme to
take over the world.”
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Vinni chuckled aloud. “On the contrary, sir. My intentions are
quite honorable. I traveled through time to save the world.”
“Well, that’s reassuring. And you plan to save the world from
what exactly?”
“The future, Mr. President, a future that no longer exists.”
“Come again.”
“On October 20th in 2008 a full-scale nuclear war takes place.
The world, and pretty much everything in it, is destroyed,
everything except me that is. The portal in my possession provided
me with my only means of escape. If it hadn’t been for this gateway
to the past, I wouldn’t be talking with you now.”
“You’re joking, right?”
“I wish I was. In seven short years, life as you know it will
cease to exist. Unless we take some sort of evasive action and alter
that future, mankind faces complete and total annihilation. As it
stands, there is no world for me to return to and the prospect of
living like some sort of ghost in your world isn’t a very appealing
thought either. My only hope is to find a way of preventing this
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catastrophe from ever occurring.”
The President finally climbed out of bed clad only in a pair of
boxer shorts and quickly grabbed a robe. He was now pacing the floor
as he argued his position like a lawyer in court. “You tell one hell
of a story and in a very convincing fashion I might add. I hear what
you’re saying, Mr. Cross, but that’s one gigantic pill you’re asking
me to swallow. If that really is your situation, it’s not that I’m
unsympathetic, but you’ve got to look at this from my point of view,
son.”
He continued as if speaking to a room full of adversaries.
“With the failsafe system our government has in place, I find it
hard to believe that any situation could arise that could
conceivably trigger a full-scale nuclear attack. Besides, the United
States has the largest and most powerful nuclear arsenal on the
planet. It’s hard to imagine any country with kahunas big enough to
pick a fight with us. It’s that supremacy that keeps them in check.”
“I can appreciate your viewpoint, sir, and until yesterday, I
perceived the potential in much the same way. If I hadn’t witnessed
the melee for myself, you’d have my full support. Unfortunately,
that’s also where the problem stems from. Most of the world has
conformed to that belief. We’ve entrusted our fate to governments
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and computer systems. Since people no longer see nuclear war as a
legitimate threat, no one is prepared to deal with consequences.
That is precisely why the war escalated to full-scale in 2008.”
“Who started it?”
“I don’t have access to enough information just yet to
determine exactly who started it or why, but I consider who to be
irrelevant. Because it took place with virtually no warning
whatsoever, I’m inclined to assume that it was the unforeseen act of
a terrorist group. It appears that a short-range missile was
launched from an unknown location in the Middle East, probably Iran.
I was however able to ascertain where the first retaliatory missile
was launched from in response.”
“And who fired that?”
Vinni hesitated to answer, “We did, sir. It was fired from a
U.S. submarine in the Mediterranean Sea.”
“That’s ridiculous. Only the most extreme extenuating
circumstances would prompt such retaliatory tactics.”
“With that thought in mind, let’s consider what we do know.
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Jerusalem was the original target. My thoughts are based solely on
speculation at this juncture, but since the United States has a
long-standing alliance with Israel, I think our missiles may have
been fired in her defense. There wouldn’t have been time to respond
with conventional weaponry.”
“Several countries have extensive nuclear capabilities in 2008,
but only a few have a failsafe system as sophisticated as the United
States. It could be that a missile was fired inadvertently but, even
if it was a full-fledged act of terrorism, we may never know who
planned the attack. For that reason, it doesn’t seem to matter which
country launched first. But every country with nuclear capabilities
went on immediate retaliatory alert. The computer systems took over
and responded automatically. Those systems sparked an irreversible
chain reaction.”
“Russia and China probably perceived the launching of our
missiles as a potential threat to them. They clearly retaliated with
multiple strikes directed at the United States. Israel’s enemies
took advantage of the confusion and fired on several targets
throughout the country. The retaliatory strikes escalated rapidly.
For each missile fired by every other country, American forces
responded with ten. By the time the first missile hit its target,
every nation’s arsenal was exhausted.”
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“My God, that’s too incredible to even fathom.”
“The wheels of nuclear annihilation were rolling and there was
nothing anyone could do to stop it. These, Mr. President, are the
indisputable facts.”
“That’s one hell of a story, son, but it is far from
indisputable evidence. All you’ve given me to go on is hearsay from
a voice that claims to be from the future. Based on some cockamamie
story about a war that hasn’t even taken place yet, you expect me to
initiate formal proceedings to prevent it?”
“Actually, with a little help from me, that is exactly what I
expect you to do.”
“Hells bells. Even if I believed your story, which I don’t,
just how would you propose I go about that?”
“I have access to specific information pertaining to future
events that will occur over the next seven years, events that would
be impossible to predict. I’m willing to share enough information
with you to validate my claim. We’d have to work together, but I’m
confident that we can avoid this disaster.”
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“It’s an enormous challenge and will require some carefully
calculated tactics, but you are the President of the United States
for God’s sake. If the other world leaders won’t listen to you, they
sure as hell aren’t going to listen to me. I need your support.”
Vinni’s focus was on selling the objective. “I don’t know if we
can prevent that first missile from being fired, but I believe we
can develop a system to detect and destroy it before panic sets in.
At the very least, we should be able to persuade the U.S. Armed
Forces and the other nations to refrain from firing their weapons in
response.”
“The way I see it, you took an oath to defend America against
all threats, foreign and domestic. As a patriot, I’m committed to
the same, but as the President, you are obligated. We may be the
only hope humankind has for a future.”
“You do realize that what you are suggesting is without a doubt
the most bizarre farfetched political ploy ever conceived.”
“I suppose it is.”
“I’ll have to apprise the Joint Chiefs of Staff who will
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undoubtedly think I’ve flipped my lid.”
“I realize it’s an awkward position to be in, but I’ll be
present at the meeting. They will see for themselves that the threat
is genuine. I will also arrange for my counterpart, Vinni Cross from
your time period, to communicate directly with you as well. He can
convey most of the specifics electronically. To guard against
infiltration, my former self will, at least for the time being,
remain in protective seclusion, but he’ll be actively involved in
the proceedings. The whereabouts of the portal will never be
revealed.” He paused for a moment. “My calendar is fairly flexible.
When would you like to schedule your meeting?”
“Give me a couple of days. Let’s aim for Monday morning.”
“It won’t be easy, and it may take some time to instill some
confidence, but I know we can do this. We’ve got to.”
“You’re right, Mr. Cross, this damn sure isn’t going to be
easy. I can’t help being skeptical, but until I have reason to
believe otherwise, we’ll forge ahead.” He yawned and stretched his
arms. “It is the middle of the night. So, if you wouldn’t mind, I’d
like to get a little shot eye before the sun comes up.”
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Vinni chuckled. “Of course.”
“I wish you luck, Mr. Cross. If any of what you have told me is
true, I think you’re going to need it.”
“I will indeed.”
“Oh...and by the way,” the President added to conclude their
summit.
“Yes, sir.”
“I do have an office. I would prefer to conduct business there,
if you don’t mind. If you can get in here, I’m sure you can get in
there. During business hours would be a refreshing change.”
“I’ll keep that in mind. Good night, Mr. President.”
“Back at ya, Mr. Cross.”
235
CHAPTER 9
Where the Streets Have No Name
236
“So, how did it go?” V-41 eagerly inveigled upon V-48’s return.
“It’s hard to say. He was somewhat receptive, but
understandably skeptical. He’s not sold yet on the prospect of time-
travel. There will undoubtedly be an investigation into the entire
Cross organization and that will probably include an in-depth search
for you and the mirror.”
“So, what am I supposed to do?”
“There is no trail tying us to the cabin. I think you’ll be
safe at the Alaskan facility. You might want to contact V-34 and get
a team of IT guys started on an untraceable line of communications
and a video feed to the White House. You’ll use that for all
correspondence.”
“Great. Instead of enjoying my new life, I get to spend all my
time in solitary confinement. We,” he inferred to emphasize the
fact, “might be saving the world and your ass, and it’s me who will
be making all the sacrifices.”
“Consider it a minor imposition and it’s only temporary. Look
at it from my perspective. The next time you step through that
237
portal, look at yourself in a real mirror. That’s confinement my
friend. So, bear with me will ya? Until they are convinced
otherwise, we’re going to be considered a major threat and we need
to be prepared.”
“It’s just not fair.”
“I’m sorry, slick. If I had known all the trouble this portal
was going to cause, I might never have used the damn thing to begin
with. It was probably for a reason just like this that it was sealed
it up when I found it. Nobody has any business messing with the
past, present or future. When we get this mess straightened out, we
need to get rid of the damn thing for good. I’d be fine with living
our lives one day at a time just like everybody else.”
“I’m inclined to agree, but we’ll have to turn the world upside
down and inside out before we can even consider getting rid of it.”
“That’s for sure. He doesn’t need to know why, but make sure 34
supplies you with everything you’ll need. To be honest, Alaska’s not
such a bad place to be confined to.”
Although he felt like a criminal in hiding, V-41 was for the
most part content. In anticipation of a response, the two of them
238
were monitoring all the activity at each of the Cross facilities by
linking into the surveillance cameras at each location. Within a few
hours a swarm of secret service agents and a brigade of military
personnel had surrounded the California estate and several of their
branch offices in six other states. V-48 was anxious to express his
dismay and, within minutes, was standing beside the President in his
Oval Office.
“That was a pretty bold move, George,” he said to initiate the
conversation bright and early on Saturday morning.
The President was clearly startled. “Damn, I wish you wouldn’t
do that.” He pressed a button under his desk to start a hidden voice
recorder that he had installed that morning.
“There’s too much at stake, you didn’t really expect us to be
that careless, did you?”
The President wasn’t surprised to learn that Vinni was aware of
the investigation. He replied rather arrogantly. “A strange voice in
the night tells me that he’s from the future. You don’t think that
warrants an investigation? You’ll have to give me a little credit
too, Mr. Cross. I’m no dummy either.”
239
“I suppose I would have been surprised if you hadn’t, but I do
hope you’ve gotten that out of your system. I’m here to do a job and
take care of business. The sooner we get started the better. When is
your meeting?”
“Already had it.”
“Now, that I didn’t expect. How did that go for you?”
“The cabinet thinks I’m looney tunes...under too much pressure.
I spent most of my time trying to convince them that I’m not off my
rocker,” he replied casually. “I’m not too fond of the idea, but we
may have to play it your way for the time being. This had better be
legit though. What I don’t need is another politician blowing smoke
up my ass.”
“That’s what you have congress for,” Vinni stated with a
chuckle.
The President sat back in his chair and placed his index finger
over his lips. “Right now, I’ve got a voice and, so far, I’m the
only one who hears it. If I’m to have any chance of convincing my
colleagues that you are real...or that this threat of yours is
genuine, I’m going to need some ammunition. Tell me, Mr. Cross. What
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else does this future of yours have in store for us?”
“I’ve actually given that a great deal of thought. It would be
fun to start with the winners of Sunday’s football games.”
“Football? You table a threat of nuclear war and offer me
football scores? For some reason, I envisioned something more along
the lines of intellectual enlightenment.”
“It may not have the same impact as a plane crash, but it
should be rather convincing, and that’s my only objective,” he said
with a giggle. “Later today, you’ll receive an encrypted message
from my cohort. The attached file will contain the scores and
statistics for each game. I suggest you print out copies, place them
in sealed envelopes and then distribute them to your key personnel,
prior to tomorrow’s games course. The packages should be kept on
their person and remain sealed until your meeting with them Monday
morning. The intrigue alone should generate some interesting
conversation, but I’m looking forward to seeing their faces when
they open those envelopes. I’ll be on hand to follow up with a
verbal dissertation.”
“I have to admit, that sounds like an interesting little
demonstration. If you can pick the winners of every game, it will
241
definitely get their attention.”
“They’ll have the winner of each game, the scores and more. It
should be a real eye-opener.” Vinni was silent for a moment before
he added another intriguing comment. “It’s just a thought mind you,
but it might be fun to place a bet or two.”
“I’ll say this, Mr. Cross. I kind of like your style, but if
the statistics don’t match up, I’m going to look like a complete
idiot.”
“They’ll be accurate. By the way, you’ll need a password to
access the file when it arrives,” Vinni added. The President jotted
down the peculiar characters as Vinni read them off then pushed the
paper in the general direction of the voice for verification.
“That’s it. You’ll be receiving a message shortly. I’ll get out of
your hair now. Have a nice day, sir.”
“Yeah. You too.”
V-48 headed straight for the Alaskan facility. The message to
the President had already been drafted. It included highlights from
the Monday edition of the Washington Post. V-41 made a few entries
on his computer and the email was on its way.
242
The president seemed more intrigued by the notion than
skeptical of the concept. After reviewing the information, he
downloaded the file into a secure folder on his personal laptop. To
guard against infiltration, he printed all the copies himself. Each
packet was labeled “TOP SECRET” and had the Presidential Seal. A
brief note was attached with his instructions. If the information
within was correct, and he had a strong suspicion that it was, there
would be no question as to the authenticity.
Sunday was spent in front of several TV screens curiously
watching the outcome of each game, which unfolded precisely as Vinni
had predicted. Even though the results included a painful loss for
the President’s favorite team, confidence in Vinni’s futuristic
claim was building.
The Monday morning meeting had been scheduled as Vinni had
requested, but the President secretly called another emergency
meeting Sunday night as well. Vinni was monitoring the activity and
was unknowingly in attendance.
“Open your packages, gentlemen,” the President instructed.
One of the men was quick to question, “Football scores?”
243
“That’s right, Jim. The results of every game played today, and
they’ve been your possession since yesterday. I’m telling you, we’ve
either got an incredible breakthrough or one very serious problem on
our hands. Tom,” he addressed, “what do you make of all this?”
The four-star general was anxious to voice his opinion. In a
cold hard voice, he said, “There’s no question, the information is
accurate. If Mr. Cross, or whoever this intruder is, somehow managed
to pick the winners of each game, I’d have been impressed, but this
guy provided us with statistics and even listed a few of the plays.
In my mind, we’d be foolish not to consider all possibilities. It’s
his intentions that concern me. I don’t care if the guy claims to be
Christ Almighty. Any man with some sort of time-traveling gizmo
poses a definite threat to national security. If he has an ulterior
motive, we need to find out what it is.”
“But,” the President amended, “that’s just it, Tom. If his
intentions were perfidious, what could the guy possibly have to gain
by apprizing us? It would have been in his best interests to keep it
a secret. The way I see it, if he had some sort of political or
military agenda, I think we’d have known about it by now.”
“That’s the beauty of a plan like this,” the director of the
244
Navy inferred. “He has nothing to gain unless we are aware of the
powers he possesses. Now, he can use it as leverage against us.”
“No. I just don’t think that’s the case, John,” the President
argued more objectively. “I’ve had conversations with this guy, and
I get the distinct impression he is genuinely sincere. Besides, if
he is who he claims to be, he is already one of the wealthiest men
in the world. He certainly doesn’t need any monetary rewards. I’m
telling you; this guy is honestly concerned about the future. This
nuclear war of his doesn’t even take place for another seven years.
If he told us it was supposed to happen next week, we’d probably be
at DEFCON 3 by now. All I’m saying is, it’s not going to hurt to
hear the man out. If he has come to us for help, we’ve got to at
least explore this thing with him and consider lending our support.
If he proves to be a threat, that’s another matter entirely. We’ll
prepare for anything and proceed accordingly.”
“I’m sorry, sir,” began another, “but so far, all we have are a
few sports scores. I certainly haven’t seen enough evidence to
convince me that the world is at risk of some futuristic threat of
war. The only thing he’s provided us with is some relatively
meaningless information.”
“I agree,” the President continued, “but let’s put ourselves in
245
his shoes. I think that the football scores were merely a way of
getting our attention. If you asked me, I’d say it was a rather
clever tactic.” He held up the newspaper. “This is the front page of
this morning’s Washington Post and Cross painted us a pretty good
picture of it for Christ’s sake.” An aid approached and handed him a
document. “Here’s another one for ya. This is an email we just
received from Mr. Cross. According to him, Barshefsky and Quan-Sheng
are in the process of signing a Trade Agreement as we speak. We
certainly don’t have any Intel indicating any such activity.”
The door to their private room opened and the presidential aid
stepped back into the room. The President signaled him to come over
and the aid whispered in his ear. “Thank you, Henry,” he said to the
young man who made a hasty exit. “There you go, gentleman. We now
have a confirmation. Russia and China just finished signing and they
were more than a little curious as to how we knew about it.”
“Mr. Cross is also aware of our undisclosed strategies for the
coalition against terrorism. He even knows the name of the operation
and that hasn’t even been released to some of the people in this
room. If he was going to use it against us, we’d have known about it
by now. I may be wrong, but I believe the guy is doing his best to
convince us.”
246
Vinni was listening intently and was pleased to learn the
President seemed to be supporting his position. He understood the
reluctance of his colleagues but was confident that in time he would
be able to sway them all.
Admiral Jefferson Brown, Secretary of Defense, spoke next. “Mr.
President, this ‘voice of yours’ claims to be that of a man from the
future. Yet the most elite forces on earth haven’t been able to
locate Mr. Cross in the present. That’s no coincidence and, quite
frankly, that fact makes me a little nervous. If he’s as sincere as
you make him out to be, a meeting with the man would be a huge step
in the right direction. I’m not ready to buy into this time-traveler
notion just yet. As far as we know, this is some high-tech hacker
and nothing more than an elaborate hoax.”
The President quickly responded. “I hear what you’re saying,
Jeff, and I’d be concerned if you weren’t a little skeptical. We
certainly must be cautious, but we also need to keep an open mind
here. Cross, or at least his voice, is supposed to be present at the
meeting tomorrow. So, we’ll have an opportunity to express our
concerns. I want our best team working on this. If this is some sort
of hoax, let’s nip it in the bud, but we’ve got to give the guy an
opportunity to lay his cards out on the table. If he has a hidden
agenda, we’ve got to force his hand and trip him up if we can.
247
But...if he can sell us on this concept, we’ve got to be willing to
listen, receptive to the notion and prepared to respond
accordingly.”
“If this guy is for real, I want him on our side. Can you
imagine what an impact this kind of technology could have on world
affairs if it fell into the wrong hands? More importantly, if Mr.
Cross really is on a mission to avert a nuclear war, we have an
obligation to help anyway we can. Agreed?”
The men reluctantly acceded to the President’s wishes, but the
lack of faith and cynicism was rather obvious. Vinni now had a much
better idea of what he was up against and knew that he had his work
cut out for him. The next day would be an enlightening experience
for everyone present.
-----/-----\-----
V-41’s untraceable video transmission link was up and running
and operable for the meeting. V-41, via video, and V-48 would
simultaneously be in attendance. Vinni’s infrared energy detection
systems had already been delivered to the White House. The device
had been almost completely dismantled by the team of scientists and
security personnel designated to inspect it.
248
In a brief report to the President, the head of that
investigative committee informed that the technology utilized to
develop the system was that of an advanced nature and beyond the
capabilities at their disposal. Though they couldn’t even envision a
practical application for the unit, they were convinced it was safe.
It was still in the experimental stage of development, but it would
enable a peculiar variation of V-48 to be visible at the meeting.
“Well?” the overanxious general prodded impatiently.
“Trust me, General,” the President responded with confidence.
“If he’s not here already, he’ll be here. Mr. Cross,” he said into
the air. Blank questioning glares on the faces of the skeptical
officials set the mood.
“Good morning, gentlemen,” Vinni answered. “Present, but not
necessarily accounted for.”
While most of the men seemed mesmerized, the President was
somewhat relieved. He began a casual conversation to initiate the
proceedings. “That was quite a demonstration yesterday. The odds
makers would have been impressed.”
249
“I trust that no illegal bets were wagered,” Vinni stated
humorously to help ease the obvious tension.
The President smiled. “I may have placed a few with some of my
distinguished colleagues across the aisle.” His statement prompted
some chuckles from most of the men in the room.
It was hard for anyone to camouflage their curiosity and rather
distinct look of shock. “You can see and hear us, Mr. Cross?” one of
the men asked.
“Loud and clear, sir.”
“The Vincent Cross that we’re a bit more accustomed to...we
haven’t been able to locate. Where might he be hiding these days?”
“Mr. President,” V-48 began, “if you would be kind enough to
type in the following web address; CROSSTIME.org.” He did so and
within seconds, V-41’s smiling face appeared on the screen.
“Good morning gentlemen,” V-41 addressed the group. The
surprise appearance prompted several questioning glares to bounce
around the room.
250
“Good morning, Mr. Cross,” the President said with a curious
glance of his own.
From the onset of their meeting, the President’s team of I.T.
experts began a series of futile attempts to track down the location
of Vinni’s transmission. The silence prompted another response from
V-41. “I assure you, there is no trickery involved here. I’m coming
to you live via an encrypted and untraceable feed.”
V-48's voice quickly filled the room. “Perhaps we should begin
the proceedings and address the matter at hand.”
“You have the floor, Mr. Cross,” the President directed.
“As I’m sure the President has already explained; I discovered
a mystical portal that enables me to travel seven years back in
time. I have used it on numerous occasions. Obviously, when I do, my
physical body transforms into some sort of invisible energy. I can’t
be seen, only heard. However, the electromagnetic energy detection
system we arranged to have delivered was designed by an elite team
of scientists. It detects minute traces of atomic energy. If you
would be kind enough to initialize the system,” he inferred. A
nervous aid reluctantly flipped the power switch. “You’ll now be
able to see a vague rendition of my presence.”
251
Vinni stepped into the detection booth and a vague image
appeared for the first time. A series of laser beams within the
frame projected a fuzzy 3-D image of Vinni’s body. It appeared as a
colorful hologram illuminating the minute energy particles that now
made up his meager existence. It certainly lacked definition, but
Vinni’s features, movements and gestures were clearly visible.
V-48 continued to expound on the novel concept. “Initially,
since I had virtually no idea how to capitalize on a device such as
this, I chose to establish contact with my former self, the man you
see on the computer screen. We are basically one in the same. I’m
simply the older model. In hindsight, it may not have been the
wisest of decisions, but I used the portal to build myself an
empire. As remarkable and monumental as the notion may seem, it was
a relatively simple achievement. What I suspect you’ll find to be
even more extraordinary is the fact that this portal has only been
in my possession for a few weeks.” That statement prompted a barrage
of hostile murmurs.
“Until now, it hadn’t been necessary. Although I have never
disclosed details of the discovery or its capabilities to anyone
other than my former self, circumstances have obviously changed. The
Cross organization has taken steps to ensure that this device will
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never be utilized for political or military gain. Its whereabouts
will never be revealed. However, for the sake of sustaining the
anticipated arguments, I intend to demonstrate the awesome
capabilities that we presently possess.”
“First of all, I’d like to state for the record that I am a
humble God-fearing man. I have no evil ill-minded intentions. What I
witnessed a few days ago in 2008 was quite real and the most
alarming experience you can imagine. I stand before you today as all
that’s left of life in that future. I have nothing to return to. In
2008, I am the last man left alive on the planet and that is one
very disturbing prospect. Even with the most advanced protective
gear, I seriously doubt that I could survive the devastating
aftermath. Even if I could, it’s certainly not a life I’d cherish
living. But this is much more than a personal quest. This is of the
utmost importance for the entire human race.”
“On October 20 in the year 2008 the world as you know it will
be annihilated by a full-scale nuclear battle.” Vinni paused briefly
to allow the men to absorb the information. “It was only by virtue
of my unique time continuum that I managed to escape, but I was on
hand to witness the catastrophe firsthand. I’ve since used the
portal to access what’s left of my world and it’s not a pretty
picture, gentlemen. The devastation is beyond your wildest
253
imagination and that’s what’s in store for you and your descendants.
My present is your future.”
“I realize that mine is the most unusual request you’ll ever be
confronted with, but I’m also presenting you with a rare
opportunity. It’s up to us to prevent this ludicrous tragedy from
ever taking place. To ensure that I have a world to return to, I
need your help to alter the future.”
The general was anxious to speak. “That’s a very compelling
speech, Mr. Cross, but I’m more of the devil’s advocate type. If
what you are saying is true, interfering with the natural course of
history sounds like an extremely risky proposition. I’m not so sure
that mankind has any business meddling in the realm of the
metaphysical, much less altering the future. To be completely
honest, I’m not the least bit convinced that you are from the
future. Other than some imposing hearsay, there is virtually no
solid evidence whatsoever to substantiate your claim. Even if what
you’re telling us is the absolute truth, there is no way of knowing
what sort of injurious impact our influence might have on the
future. It seems to me, there would be a distinct potential for
negative implications. We could conceivably make things worse.”
“With all due respect, general,” Vinni stated boldly, “I can’t
254
envision anything worse than the obliteration of all life on the
planet. It’s mankind’s radical influence that got us into this mess.
There is no greater danger than weapons of mass destruction and you
can refer to them as a deterrent all day long, but they were built
to be used. Is it really such a surprise to learn that the weapons
man created lead to its proverbial demise?”
Vinni was frustrated by the man’s failure to acknowledge what
he perceived as a profound truth. “This is no time to be challenging
the extent of your obligation. Regardless of the outcome of
mankind’s wayward journey, you are being extended a unique
opportunity. I’m trying to prevent a disaster. I didn’t ask for the
job and certainly don’t want the responsibility, but I am the lone
wolf here. For whatever reason, the task of saving the world has
been allocated to me. Since I have nothing to gain and nothing else
to live for, that alone is my sole objective. My only purpose, in
what’s left of my meager existence, is to save the future of
mankind.”
“I understand your concern, Mr. Cross,” the President inferred
to shift gears. “We’ve also invited Dr. Weingarten to join us. He is
a scientist that specializes in the field of atomic energy and
cosmology. Doctor...”
255
“Mr. Cross, it’s an honor to be a member of this elite team. I
for one am convinced you are indeed from the future. It’s not that I
doubt your intentions, but as I’m sure you know, there are serious
risk factors that must be taken into careful consideration. Any
information about the future divulged to us could conceivably have a
devastating impact on post-history for us and pre-history for you.
If we know that a catastrophic event is about to happen, perhaps we
have some sort of duty to try and prevent it, but human beings that
will have died will live and people who will have lived will die. A
man destined to be a great leader may never be born. The
possibilities are endless.”
The doctor went on to expound on his perspective. “Virtually
every aspect of life as we know it can and will be affected by how
we choose to respond to what we learn from you. We are venturing
into a new dimension of understanding. We must approach any decision
with extreme caution. In-depth studies need to be conducted before
we commit to any such endeavor. Computer programs can be developed
to test our theories. What you are asking is for us to assume that
responsibility based solely on the declarations of one man. That’s
simply not practical.”
“Dr. Weingarten, I’m quite familiar with your work and I
understand your reluctance,” Vinni said before beginning his
256
rebuttal, “but if you refrain from taking any action for fear of
making a mistake, you will have done your country and the world the
greatest disservice of all. Everyone in this room would be assuming
responsibility for the annihilation of life as we know it.
Considering the consequences that we face; your argument is in my
view completely unacceptable. Granted, this event won’t impact you
or your families for another seven years, but that’s certainly no
reason to put it off. Any commitment to prevent a nuclear war,
regardless of when it takes place, is an honorable decree. You are
ethically and morally obligated to make the same commitment. As
elected officials, you all have a sworn duty to defend your country.
I’m simply asking you to fulfill it.”
The Secretary of State spoke. “What sort of plan are you
proposing to thwart this so-called disaster of yours? Surely you
aren’t asking us to fight a war that hasn’t even begun.”
“No, sir. I propose that we take a diplomatic approach. I’m
suggesting that the United States take the initiative and contact
the leaders of all the other nations and warn them of the impending
future. A letter to each delegation prophetically outlining the
events that lie ahead should serve to coax most of them into working
together to prevent it.”
257
“Even if we can’t prevent the first missile that sparked the
exchange, we could conceivably avoid the full-scale retaliatory
strikes that follow. The United States will have the benefit of a
powerful ‘voice’, one that can span even the most secure of
international facilities. I can speak to the other leaders and use
that influence to establish an unprecedented realm of peace. If
we’re successful, the end-result will be a secure future for you and
a thriving world for me.” He pointed to the computer screen. “Peace
is our only hope. Although I’d much rather proceed as a
representative of my country, I am fully prepared to take any step
necessary...with or without your assistance. I’ll go public with
this thing if that’s what it takes. I’d rather have your support.”
The room was quiet, each man in silent thought. Though Vinni
seemed to be successfully swaying the panel of distinguished
politicians, not all the men were convinced.
The Secretary of Defense, a large black man in full military
uniform stood to make his position known. “The notion of time-travel
is a very intriguing concept, but according to Einstein it is at
best merely theoretically feasible. To embark on an anti-nuclear war
strategy based on a voice is considerably more than a little far-
fetched. It’s preposterous. We are the most powerful nation in the
world and such tactics would undoubtedly be perceived by our
258
adversaries as weakness.”
“We live in a day and age when technology is so far advanced
that nothing is impossible. I’m convinced that there is a more
practical and rational explanation for these strange anomalies. As
far as we know, this holographic display is nothing more than some
sort of military propaganda. Our enemies could be sitting in a
situation room somewhere laughing their asses off at the very
thought that we would even consider such philosophical malarkey.
Before we would even consider exploring such a ludicrous notion,
somebody’s going to have to put a lot more in front of me than a few
football scores and an invisible man. We’re the United States of
America. We deal in facts, gentlemen, not fantasy and science
fiction. We’re entitled to demand a lot more proof than some
supposed voice from the future.”
“Name your poison,” Vinni arrogantly inferred.
“Excuse me.”
Vinni was clearly offended and his patience was wearing thin.
“Tell me, Mr. Secretary. What exactly would serve as a means of
appeasing your concerns...and please be specific? Perhaps you’d like
to know a little something about your personal future or your
259
political career. That’s easy enough for me to obtain, but would you
really want to know?” He hesitated and then presented a format that
the men could more easily relate to. “What about the results of the
upcoming elections? Would you like to know who’s in and who’s out of
office? I’d be more than happy to oblige.”
“Gentlemen, please,” V-41 said through the monitor to minimize
the stress. “I think what my cohort is trying to say is...”
“I know exactly what he...you...whoever the hell it is was
saying,” the Secretary blurted. “Christ, I don’t even know who or
what the hell I’m talking to anymore.”
The President also spoke to relieve the increasing tension. “I
think you’ve made your point Mr. Cross and I understand your
concerns Tom, but it’s kind of hard to argue with the man’s logic.
We’d better be very careful about what we ask for. There’s a real
good chance we might get it.”
The Secretary made no effort to conceal his dismay. “If you are
who you say you are, a loyal American patriot, prove it. Take a trip
to China and retrieve some inside information.”
“Wow! You just don’t get it. That man right there,” he directed
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with a holographic finger pointing at V-41, “is the most loyal
American patriot you’ve got. As for me, I don’t even have an
inhabitable planet to call home, much less any national interests. I
don’t give a rat’s ass what China’s intentions are. I can’t make
this any clearer. I will not allow my capabilities to be used to
satisfy anyone’s political or military objectives. If it’s a spy you
want, I’m not interested. Games like that are what got us into this
mess to begin with.”
“If you’re not interested, I’ll go elsewhere, but I’m not
wasting your time or mine discussing political and military
strategies. There’s only one scenario to consider here. You either
work with me to accomplish this objective or I take my time machine
overseas. It’s that simple, gentlemen. As far as I’m concerned,
those incoming missiles can fly right up your...”
“Woe, woe, woe, Mr. Cross,” the President said to re-establish
some semblance of control. “We seem to be getting a little off track
here. Let me say for the record, I agree wholeheartedly. You are in
the right place and we are here to help. The last thing we need is
Mr. Cross working with some other country. We need to concentrate
our efforts on what’s best for all the people on the planet. If
there’s a political agenda to be achieved, let it be that the men in
this room elected to take the appropriate action. If the United
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States government can somehow save mankind from an imminent doom,
democracy will stand tall in the end.”
“With all due respect, sir,” the Secretary stated boldly. “We
don’t have a clue what we’re up against here.”
“I realize that, Tom, but if Mr. Cross is speaking the truth,
we have quite a challenge ahead of us. Even with substantial
evidence, convincing our adversaries that we have their best
interests at heart won’t be an easy task. We will of course take the
necessary precautions to protect national security, but I intend to
focus on Mr. Cross’s objective. Until we have a reason to believe
otherwise, we’ve got to assume that the world is in jeopardy of
destruction.”
“Of course,” the subdued Secretary reluctantly replied.
Though he was encouraged by the President’s proclamation, Vinni
was disheartened by the obvious lack of support. If a despondent
colleague attempted to take matters into his own hands, the fears of
what could happen began to weigh on his heart.
Vinni spoke passionately and with extreme degradation. “Listen,
gentlemen. This is only day one and I realize that it may take some
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time to establish a rapport and a level of trust. So, I will
continue to provide necessary updates on future events to help
instill confidence in our mutual objectives but try to see things my
way if you can. If I don’t succeed in stopping this event from
occurring, I’ll be imprisoned here for the rest of my life, whatever
that is. The last thing I want is to be stuck in your world and I
think it’s safe to assume that most of you wouldn’t want my voice
whispering in your ears for the rest of your lives either. Perhaps
it would be best if we call it a day. I sincerely appreciate your
time. Keep in mind though, you’ll never know when I might be
listening.”
“Needless to say,” the President began with stern eyes peering
out at his colleagues over his reading glasses. “I want a very tight
lid on this one. Anything and everything discussed stays in this
room. I can’t even imagine what the pandemonium would be like if the
press got a hold of this. No leaks, gentlemen!”
The President adjourned the meeting with a few final words. “We
appreciate your time as well, Mr. Cross. We know what’s at stake and
we’re going to get the job done.”
“I appreciate the sentiment, sir. Good day, gentlemen.”
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“Thank you,” V-41 added to signal his exodus.
A hodgepodge of vague farewell murmurs filled the air in
response. As V-41’s video feed faded from the monitor, V-48’s image
disappeared from the detection booth.
“Is he gone?” one of the men asked.
“I wouldn’t count it, Sam,” the President stated emphatically,
“but we certainly have a lot of things to discuss. If anyone has
something to say, I want to hear it, but I’d choose your words
carefully if I were you.” There was an extended period of silence as
each person considered the possibilities. “That’s an intriguing
notion isn’t it...to think that someone knows what you are saying
about them behind your back?” he said to infer that any comments
about him could be overheard as well.
As suspected, Vinni stuck around long enough to listen in on an
extensive series of post-meeting comments and discussions. It may
have stemmed from a fear that Vinni might take his technology
elsewhere, but the majority seemed to be climbing on board.
By taking such drastic measures, he had opened Pandora’s Box.
There was now a long list of variables that he could no longer
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control. Vinni’s crusade had begun, but he would never know for
certain if the campaign was heading in the right direction.
CHAPTER 10
Marooned
It took a little longer than expected, but V-48’s efforts
appeared to have been successful. The war that he was trying so
desperately to prevent never took place. Three days later, a new
inviting light was shining through the portal. He couldn’t wait to
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return to his revitalized world and to hold Sierra in his arms
again, but fate had another astonishing development in store. They
would ever know what led to the events that followed, but everything
in their lives was about to change again.
Before returning to 2008, Vinni spent some quality time in the
vault with V-41 contemplating their revised plans. Suddenly, that
all-to-familiar red light started flashing on V-41’s console. For V-
48, it was like watching a rerun of a bad movie. There was a sense
of entangling fear in his voice, “You have got to be kidding me.” V-
41 turned his attention to the alarm light flashing above. “This
can’t be happening, not again. Not now. Not after all we’ve been
through.”
“I can’t believe this,” V-41 said calmly, but with a firm grip
the table. “Those idiots have started another war. What do we do
now?”
“Get ready to jump,” V-48 declared. “You’ll have to find some
way to stop this thing. It’s our only chance.”
“It doesn’t look like your plan worked out so well,” he
sarcastically replied with an angry glare.
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“We don’t have time to argue about it. It’s happening again
right before your eyes. We don’t have a choice.”
“What do you think went wrong?”
“Hell, I don’t know, Vinni. It only takes one fool to start a
war. You’re on your own this time. You are the only one who can stop
it. It’s up to you and 34. You’ve got to talk some sense into these
imbeciles. If you can’t pull it off, it’s all over for all us.”
“And I’ll end up getting stuck like you did.”
“Maybe, but if you stay here, you die. And I can only imagine
what I’ve got to look forward to. I’d much rather be alive as a
spirit in the past than be the last man left alive. You’re the only
chance either of us has.” He looked at the computer screen. “Check
it out.” The display showed an array of incoming missiles targeting
the immediate area. “Secure all the data you can and try to
determine where the first strike came from. Relocate the mirror as
soon as you can and make this go away, Vinni.”
V-41 switched on the outside cameras. “Holy shit!”
“You haven’t seen anything yet. “We’ve got about five minutes.”
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“And how do I prepare for this?”
“You don’t,” V-48 said in a soft humble voice. “You do what you
can and hope for the best. Our heart is in the right place. I’m
scared too, partner. If you aren’t successful...”
“I know. I’ll find a way.”
“I’m so sorry I got you into this,” V-48 stated with earnest
remorse.
“It’s not your fault, Vinni. There are just too many ignorant
people out there who oppose one another. They’d destroy the world to
spite a nation. A nuclear war was inevitable. Even if we fix this,
it’s going to happen again someday, but I’ll do what I can.”
“Even if you don’t pull it off, you’ve got to admit one thing.
It may have been short one, but it was one hell of a fun ride.”
“It sure was and I can’t thank you enough for sharing it with
me. If we don’t see each other again...”
“So be it, I suppose, but...” he hesitated before finishing his
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sentence, “if we do, we’ve got to lose the portal. It goes away
forever.”
“Agreed,” V-41 said before pausing to consider his lack of
options.
“Incoming,” V-48 advised as they made their final preparations.
“I guess that’s it then.” They moved silently toward their
respective sides of the mirror. “Getting to know you was an
incredible experience. You’re a good man Vinni Cross.”
“Back at ya, pal. Good luck!”
“God’s speed!” They both glanced back at the screen and, as the
first explosive flash lit up the sky, they stepped through and were
simultaneously vaulted in opposite directions through time. V-48 and
V-41 were now separated by an impenetrable fourteen-year gap that
their mystical portal could no longer breech.
-----/-----\-----
V-48 stepped cautiously from the portal into the protective
Alaskan vault where he experienced the purest form of complete
silence. How long it might take for V-41 and V-34 to achieve their
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mammoth task...if they were able to achieve it at all...was unknown,
but for the time being, V-48 was still alive.
He wasn’t too eager to explore the ravished barren environment
but had to determine exactly what he was up against. The flip of a
switch started up the exterior cameras to provide a view of the
exterior atmosphere. Perpetual blizzard winds had blown mounds of
icy soot across the rugged terrain, but the sun had begun to filter
through the dusty darkness that had engulfed the planet for several
years since the war. Most of the atmospheric dust had settled.
Frequent and fierce thunderstorms were in the process of cleansing
the environment and washing away the soot that had collected on the
surface.
The world seemed new-fangled and unexplored. Like the period
after the extinction of the dinosaurs, nuclear winter had reshaped
the vast uninhabited landscape and there were virtually no signs of
life. Microorganisms had only just begun their multi-million-year
quest to revitalize life on the planet.
Only minute traces of radiation were registering on the
instrument panel and the outside temperature was a balmy -32
degrees. So Vinni clothed himself in his protective Alaskan suit and
prepared to face the unusual elements.
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He opened the vault door, stepped out into the general quarters
and pressed the reset button to start the emergency generators. As
light began to fill the large cavern, Vinni was reminded of the team
previously found huddled together in a frozen grave. The space was
now tranquilly empty. The irony of it all and so many outlandish
quandaries played heavily on his mind.
He took a deep breath as the large steel door leading to the
outer tunnel of the cave opened and shuffled across the grimy floor
towards the dim sunlight. As he stood at the edge of a cliff gazing
out over the windswept valley below, flakes of filthy snow began
collecting on the fur-lined hood wrapped around his face. Through
the special goggles that protected his eyes from the harsh effects
it was plain to see that the war had taken its toll on Tok.
Like a space traveler that had crash landed on a strange new
planet, he was completely alone. It was the most helpless feeling a
man could ever experience and it reminded him of a phrase that
Sierra would often use in jest, ‘Not if you were the last man on
Earth’. Her facetious words began to take on new meaning.
Not that there was anywhere in particular to go, but he knew he
couldn’t stay where he was. Regardless of where his new unpaved road
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might lead, it was necessary to move on. V-41 had seen to it that
every conceivable provision and a few unexpected luxuries were on
hand.
He slowly approached a set of huge steel doors and pressed a
red button to open them. Though he’d never actually seen the vehicle
V-41 had designed, there were peculiar memories of its conception
and development. The monstrous all-terrain bus resembled a giant
caterpillar and was geared to trounce through almost any terrain he
might encounter.
The strange SUV stood taller than most single-story homes, was
nearly as wide as a two-lane road and was nearly seventy feet in
length. The framework supported three individual compartments that
were linked together by flexible passageways. The three cabins were
carried on twenty-four indestructible tires that were more than
eight feet tall. It was equipped with numerous technologically
advanced features and many of the so-called luxuries of home. His
love for music inspired the installation of an incredible
entertainment system that boasted a vast library of Vinni’s favorite
tunes and a seemingly endless supply of videos.
There were enough supplies and fuel on board to last for three
months or more if necessary, but several substations had been built
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in various locations throughout the country to keep the provisions
replenished. Though there was no anticipated need, the vehicle was
equipped with a state-of-the-art self-defense weaponry system and
plenty of ammunition. The front was also designed with a steel armor
plate angled to displace any debris in the rover’s path. The machine
was well designed for its intended purpose, to get Vinni Cross
anywhere he needed to go.
The only other item left to be loaded was the mirror, his only
real lifeline. Until V-41 accomplished his objective, it served as a
useless link to a past that no longer existed. It was mounted on the
wall behind the driver’s seat to provide immediate access and to
monitor any changes in 2001. After a few hours of rest, Vinni would
begin the long and treacherous journey south.
The next morning, he took one more hopeful glance into the
empty mirror before setting out in search of a new life. With a
glimmer of hope that his former self could somehow manage to alter
their bleak futures, he fired up the engines and began maneuvering
the vehicle through the tunnel. With the flick of an overhead
switch, the massive double doors leading out of the cave and into
the unknown slowly swung open. He gripped the controls, which were
set up like the handlebars of a motorcycle, revved the engine and
released the clutch. The huge caterpillar roared slowly out the door
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and down a winding worn out path that led to the valley below.
The faint sunlight was still shielded by an atmospheric haze,
but a break in weather had provided some rather calm conditions for
his departure. He stopped at a ridge to peer out over the barren
valley before descending toward a new ambivalent life.
For an entire day, the ‘caterpillar’ trekked toward Vancouver
through heavy snow and some very rugged terrain. Several small
cities were, for the most part, still intact, but there was
virtually no sign of life. Finally, late on the first night, he
drove over a mountain to get his first glimpse of the once fabulous
city, which had sustained numerous direct impacts. Vancouver’s
beautiful buildings that formerly graced the skyline of the peaceful
harbor town had been reduced to gray gloomy sepulchers. Heaps of
rubble created by several massive blasts had been hurled in every
direction. The manmade structures had been remolded into a string of
mangled monuments.
The vehicle rolled slowly down one of the city’s main
thoroughfares. Streets once lined with tall skyscrapers and
contemporary architecture were flanked with heaps of twisted steel,
shattered stones and strewn debris. His heart sank at the endless
sight of skeletal remains trapped in the tangled webs of warped
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steel. Magnificent buildings had been mangled like a child’s toy
caught in the blades of a powerful lawnmower. The disfigured
landscape was overwhelming, but the most devastating aspect of all
was incomprehensible loss of life. The morbid spectacle provided a
firm indication of what to expect as he ventured on.
With tears trickling down his cheeks, he said softly into the
air, “What in the mind of any man could condone such a meaningless
atrocity?” He steered the vehicle east and away from Vancouver.
It wasn’t long before he encountered the first of many
obstacles. Disfigured bridges that once offered convenient access to
across the inland waterways had been reduced to lines of twisted
pillars jetting up from the depths of the murky water. Like the
pioneers of early America, Vinni was forced to reroute and explore a
natural means of accessing the region beyond. The extravagant
machine offered many tremendous advantages, but the network of GPS
satellites was no longer functioning and was rendered useless.
Digital maps would be his only guide to circumventing each
inevitable challenge.
“No offence, Lord,” he said to the only foreseeable entity left
to call on, “I like talking to you, but since it’s down to just me
and you, is there any chance I could get you to answer? If this is
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the life that you have in store for me, I’m not so sure I want to
live it. If Vinni doesn’t pull off that miracle, what am I going to
do?” He waited with wandering eyes half hoping for a verbal
response. After inspecting a map of the immediate area on the
computer screen, he dredged off in a new direction and with a
rapidly changing outlook on life.
Chicago was the next destination. If there was anyone else left
alive in the world, there was a very slight chance of finding
someone there. If it proved to be another wasteland, as he
suspected, he’d steer south to Florida where there was a chance of
finding a more suitable climate.
Vinni followed Interstate 90 to the east, but the path was
constantly impeded by one obstacle after another and progress was
drastically limited to a few hundred miles per day. So, the trip to
Chicago would take several days.
The occasional glances over his shoulder at an empty scene in
the mirror were becoming far less frequent. The instant
gratification that Vinni had grown accustomed to was over. If V-41
was successful, evidence of the achievement would be immediately
discernable. Though Vinni could pass back through to 2001, the
atmosphere was encapsulated in a shroud of volatile dust. There was
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virtually nothing to return to. Since there were no new memories and
no light in the portal, his faith in the potential for a successful
restitution began dwindling rapidly.
At noon on October 31st, Vinni celebrated Halloween by
approaching the outskirts of Chicago. From a distance, not one
recognizable landmark remained on the frozen tundra or could be
discerned in the confines of its massive ruins. Access to the
interior of the windy city would be dangerous at best and next to
impossible. There was nothing to be gained from jeopardizing an
attempt to reach the inner city. Instead, he would detour around the
outlying suburbs and begin the trip southward.
The locations of the Cross substations dictated the route. Each
underground shelter had been stocked with canned goods and plenty of
fresh water. There was plenty of everything he’d need to stay alive.
The only thing he lacked was the one thing that was impossible to
find, companionship. It had only been a few days and already the
loneliness was beginning to consume him.
Thoughts of what living as a spirit in the past would be like
prompted him to consider what the spiritual life might have been
like for God. ‘If I was God, a spirit that had existed alone for
billions or trillions of years, my sole objective would have been to
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satisfy the ultimate desire for companionship. No wonder you created
the universe.’
Like a pioneer on a lonely trail, his obscure wagon train
headed south with music blaring. He sang along to an old Bee Gees
tune that seemed a bit more than apropos; “Lonely days, lonely
nights...where would I be without my woman? Lonely days, lonely
nights...where would I be without my woman?”
-----/-----\-----
After five more days of slow progress, Vinni eventually arrived
in Miami Beach. In comparison to the normal climate, it was still a
bit on the chilly side with temperatures hovering around a modest 55
degrees. The sun was still masked behind a thin yellow haze, but the
region was experiencing a gradual warming trend.
It didn’t take long to find an elaborate house that still had
most of its structural integrity and had a large boat dock where he
would eventually park a large sailboat, an elegant cabin cruiser and
an assortment of other types of watercraft. As time passed, it
became a challenge just to keep amused. Much of his time was spent
learning to play guitar and writing some memoirs in a lengthy
journal that he figured no one would ever read anyway.
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The caterpillar’s generator provided more than enough
electricity to operate any device. A local music store that hadn’t
sustained too much damage furnished enough sound equipment to create
a makeshift stage with a rather elaborate laser-lighting system and
extremely powerful amplification system. Most evenings were spent
absorbed in some rather creative and quite lavish self-indulging
rock ‘n roll performances. Since his hair had grown long, he
appeared to fit the role. Although he lacked any real ability in the
early stages, several months of haphazard practice developed into
some rather impressive talents.
After five months had sailed by, any hope he once had of being
rescued was all but exhausted. V-41 had been apparently been
commissioned to perform an impossible task and the efforts appeared
to have been unsuccessful.
Even though his future was looking rather grim, he was still
practicing good hygiene, but the desire to maintain his outward
appearance had diminished. His hair was stretched down past his
shoulders and had become rather shaggy, and a scruffy beard now
covered his jaws. Vinni had transformed into a glorified beach bum,
the hermit V-41 had alluded to in a recent conversation.
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He never wore the same set of clothes twice, but often wore
them for days at a time before disposing of them in weekly bonfire
rituals. There were also plenty of times when he’d stroll around in
the nude. Since his ship wasn’t coming in, he simply didn’t care
anymore, but he did manage to maintain his sanity.
That night, like most nights, he fell asleep in his hammock
with visions of Sierra dancing in his head. His love for her was the
only thing keeping him alive. But the next day he was awakened by an
unfamiliar sound. He focused intently on what sounded a little like
the faint blast of a ships horn blowing out at sea. He sprang up so
fast that he literally fell out of the hammock and rolled across the
ground, which he failed to notice was now covered with plush green
grass.
He raised his hand to shield his eyes from the brilliant
sunlight that was now beating down through the palm leaves. He was
so enthralled by the sound of that distant horn that he didn’t
recognize the obvious clues; the fashionable attire he was now
wearing and the unusual beads of sweat that were dripping down his
forehead.
Like a modern-day Robinson Crusoe, he froze in place to listen
more intently while his eyes twitched fiercely. As if by reflex, he
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attempted to adjust to the fragments of sunlight that were now
bleeding through the green leaves of several tall palm trees swaying
softly in a rather warm tropical breeze. It took a few moments to
realize that his surroundings had changed drastically. The concert
stage and boat dock were gone. It was then that he saw a young
couple racing their wave runners over blue ocean swells. A smile as
bright as the hot sun began to stretch across his face.
“Thirsty dear?” the most beautiful voice he ever heard called
out from a familiar balcony. His heart was racing with excitement as
he ran towards Sierra and embraced her in a suffocating hug.
“I simply cannot begin to tell you how happy I am to see your
smiling face. He kissed her passionately.
“That must have been some dream you were having,” she said with
a look of puzzling confusion.
“You have no idea,” he stated emphatically. “I’ll be right
back, but I’ve got a few things to take care of first. Get dolled
up, baby. I’m taking you out for the best dinner ever!”
She was quite perplexed by his exuberant behavior but knew all
too well that when Vinni Cross set his sights on a celebration,
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there was no telling where or what it might entail. The reason for
them never seemed to matter. She simply welcomed every opportunity
to share in any of his joyous occasions.
Although it took considerably longer than expected, V-41 had
managed to achieve their objective. The war that separated them
several months ago had been averted. Life, at least to some extent,
was back on track to attain some semblance of normality. V-48
couldn’t wait to slide back to 2001 and share the enthusiasm.
Sierra was lost in bewilderment but had grown accustomed to his
bizarre and rather hasty retreats. Vinni headed straight for the
secret vault in basement of their Hawaiian home. From inside the
mirror, which was now suspended from the ceiling, V-41’s informative
light was flashing.
“Hey,” he shouted gleefully as he leaped through, “anybody
home?”
A warm friendly voice answered from an adjacent room. “In
here,” he answered eagerly. “I was starting to get worried about
you, beginning to think you didn’t make it.”
“You were worried?” V-48 said with a heavy sigh. “You can’t
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even imagine. That was one incredible experience,” he said without
delving into the details. “So, you made it!”
“Yeah but,” he said with a sigh of his own, “you wouldn’t
believe what we had to go through.”
V-48 chuckled out loud. “I don’t even want to know. All I can
say is, I’m glad you did. This fabulous world of ours is one very
lonely place without people in it. I can’t begin to tell you how
much I missed seeing you. You saved my life, pal. Thank you!”
“It was the least I could do, considering...” he said with a
laugh of his own. “...considering where I would have been trapped.
Fixing my predicament served to fix yours. All-in-all, we’re both
pretty darn lucky.”
“We sure are. As much as I’d love to sit and chat, I’ve got to
get back. I left the most wonderful woman in the world waiting for
me back there.”
“A woman?” V-41 said with astonishment in his voice.
“That’s another very long story, Vinni,” he declared with a
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heavy breath. “One of these days I’ll fill you in on all the
fascinating details. Our top priority will be figuring out what
we’re going to do with that damn mirror.”
“As always, I look forward to your thoughts, but it sounds like
you’ve got more important things to do right now. So, go on. Get out
of here.”
“Thanks again, my friend,” V-48 said with an air of genuine
sincerity.
“You’re quite welcome. We’ll talk soon.”
CHAPTER 11
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Gentle On My Mind
The paradoxical crisis that had temporarily shattered their
lives was finally over. History had once again been altered and life
on the planet, even with all its disgusting political and social up
evil, was back to normal. The inhabitants would never know what
Vinni Cross had saved them from.
It was agreed that the mirror was just too dangerous to keep
around and the time had come to dispose of their inimitable
treasure. But before that happened, there would be one more
monumental change made to his illustrious past.
Though Sierra would never be aware of it, their romance had
ended abruptly. When she vanished, the separation created an
unbearable void in his life, and he was determined to see that they
would never be separated again.
Now that his reason for living had been restored, Vinni was on
a new mission to maximize its impact. Vinni came up a unique plan to
research Sierra’s personal history and determine her whereabouts on
a correlating date in 1995. He would simply arrange for his former
self to be in the same place as Sierra at the same time and extend
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an opportunity for them to meet by chance. Any decision to establish
a personal relationship would be theirs and theirs alone.
In his mind, if V-34 and Sierra hit it off as expected, V-48
would be rewarded with an extended history of romantic bliss. If for
some reason they didn’t, Vinni was prepared to live with the
consequences. Sierra was his soul mate. So, regardless of when or
where in history they might meet, they would surely fall in love
again. V-34 would get to experience the thrill of falling in love
just as he had in 2008 and, if everything went according to plan, V-
41 would be blessed with the memories of experiencing those
wonderful emotions too. V-48 would get an additional experience.
Though it was somewhat selfishly motivated, V-48 truly wanted
to share the sensation of unconditional love with his former selves.
He only knew Sierra’s approximate whereabouts on the designated day
and coordinated the scenario for a potential happenstance meeting.
Sierra would be spending the entire day on the Wharf in San
Francisco. So, Vinni scheduled V-34 for several meetings to finalize
a few business transactions, which ensured that he’d be in the
general vicinity most of the day. There was a good chance the two
would cross paths.
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As fate would have it on February 15th in 1995, V-34’s eyes were
drawn to a gorgeous woman walking toward him in the distance. The
magnetism was immediate and overwhelming. When Sierra got closer and
her eyes met his, something very special occurred. Almost as if by
some form of instinctive attraction, V-34 followed his heart and
made the necessary advances. The encounter sparked the beginning of
a new and extraordinary love affair.
V-41 could only observe with intense anxiety as a flood of new
memories and strong emotions began to consume him. Recollections of
the romantic interlude began filtering through his heart. It was
much the same for V-48. Not only was Sierra back in his life, but
their glorious love affair had suddenly been amended with fourteen
years of extended history.
Vinni was invited to cherish the memories both encounters,
Sierra would never be able to recall meeting him in 2008, a
sacrifice he was willing to make. Every moment V-34 spent with
Sierra was now shared by V-41 and V-48. The infatuation was as brand
new for V-48 as it was for V-34 and V-41. Vinni and Sierra were now
celebrating their fourteenth anniversary. The sudden change in their
life sparked an interesting conversation with V-41.
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“As you know; there have been some fascinating new developments
and a wonderful new addition in our past,” V-41 suggestively
advised.
“Absolutely fascinating. Ain’t love grand?”
“It sure is, and what a delightfully ironic coincidence it was
that 34 happened to be on that dock when Sierra happened by.”
“Yeah, that was rather ironic, wasn’t it?”
“Maybe a little too ironic.”
“Pardon me?”
“I may be climbing out on a thin limb here, but I’m curious.
What was the name of the woman you were so anxious to get back to?”
“Hmm,” V-48 began to concede. “Busted, huh?”
“Well you didn’t have to be much of a Fellini to figure that
one out. You had me arrange for 34 to be on the Warf all day to
finalize several deals that could have been concluded in an hour.
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That made me a little suspicious, but after they met, I thought it
was somewhat obvious.”
“So, I screwed up?”
“Are you kidding? Sierra’s the best thing that ever happened to
us. I understood and appreciated what you were trying to do. All I’m
saying is, you weren’t very good at covering your tracks. How come
you never mentioned anything about a woman in your life before?”
“I didn’t want to spoil the surprise. I wanted you guys to have
the same experience I had. If I told you about Sierra, it wouldn’t
have been the same. You aren’t planning to fill 34 in, are ya?”
“Of course not, meeting Sierra was the happiest day of my life.
I wouldn’t ruin that for any of us, which brings me to another
point. I can only imagine the massive heartache you must have
endured when you lost her. Losing someone you love is hard enough,
but not being able to share the feelings you had for her had to be a
difficult time for you.”
“Yeah,” V-48 said with tremendous sigh, “that was pretty tough.
As you now know, having her in my life means more than anything.”
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“She’s a very special lady. How did you find her anyway?”
“What would you say if I told you that I won her in a poker
game?”
“No way!”
“Like I said, it’s a long story anyway. I think it would be
best if we left my memories of meeting her where they are. We’re all
extremely lucky to have a woman like her in our lives.”
“We sure are.”
With the addition of Sierra in their lives, each of Vinni’s
younger generations had more than they had ever dreamed of. Life was
for them as good as it could get. There was however still one last
piece of business to attend to. Since the dangers obviously
outweighed its advantages, the phenomenal mirror simply had to go.
-----/-----\-----
V-41 took steps to ensure that the approach to resolving their
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recent war paradox was more of a covert mission. It didn’t require
exposing his presence and the fact that a time-traveling portal even
existed was never revealed. Life was in most respects back to semi-
normal and it was time to eliminate the threat.
The men were faced with an incredible challenge. How do you
dispose of something that is virtually indestructible? This plan,
above all others, had to be executed flawlessly by V-34 in 1995.
First and foremost, they had to ensure no one else could ever
stumble on the portal again. They had the luxury of access to
technology and capabilities that didn’t exist when the previous
owner tried to close the gate, and they also had the financial
wherewithal to see it through.
It was V-41 who came up with the idea, but all three
generations were in unanimous agreement. They would load their
precious cargo onto a shuttle and launch it into outer space. The
plan would unknowingly be carried out by a team of astronauts who
believed that the task was part of an exploratory mission financed
by Cross Industries.
It took nearly a year of careful coordination, but with the
technological assistance of V-41 and V-48, V-34 designed a seal-
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tight titanium shell that would completely encase the portal. The
thin cylinder would be loaded in a separate rocket-propelled module
that also contained a payload of deep space telescopes. The STS-67
Space Shuttle Endeavor was scheduled to launch on March 2, 1995. On
the third day of their mission, a team of astronauts would jettison
the Cross module, which would send the portal traveling into deep
space.
The CROSS-34 capsule was promoted as an independently funded
mission to conduct a heat-image survey the Andromeda Galaxy. The
assignment was designed to retrieve photos and data pertaining to
Andromeda’s Super Massive Black Hole. If all went according to
Vinni’s plan, the mission would be aborted shortly after the module
had been launched. The iniquitous portal would simply disappear into
deep space forever.
As a precautionary measure, Vinni had installed a small
transmitter that would emit a signal detectable only by an exclusive
receiver located at the Alaskan facility. The unique signal would
trigger a receiver installed on Vinni’s wristwatch. If the portal
were to somehow find its way back to earth, one of them would be the
first to know.
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The prearranged fate of the mission was for it to fail
miserably. The capsule would appear to self-destruct within hours of
being launched from the Shuttle, but the module carrying the portal
would still be jettisoned into outer space. The explosion would be
witnessed by the astronauts to ensure that no one in the near or
distant future would ever even think to look for the debris. The
module and the portal would simply vanish.
-----/-----\-----
It was autumn in 2043 and the portal was little more than vivid
memory. Since 1995, Vinni and his wife had managed to live a
relatively normal life. At the age of 83, Vinni was perfectly
content. He was still an extremely wealthy man with controlling
interest in a network of high-tech companies, but his life was no
longer influenced by the mind-boggling quandary of perilous time-
travel. He certainly wanted to, but never disclosed the time-travel
escapades to Sierra.
As manipulated fate would have it, he and Sierra were wed in
October of 1995. They had everything they wanted in life, everything
except children. That was one facet of life that for some unknown
reason they simply weren’t destined to enjoy but having each other
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seemed to be more than enough.
The balance of their life together was to be spent jetting
setting to various continents and sailing the seven seas on an
elaborate yacht, aptly named Sierra’s Portal. Together, they
experienced many of life’s most glorious pleasures. Even old age
failed to hinder their undying love.
It was late in the afternoon in December of 2043 when Vinni
found his most cherished possession lying motionless on the cabin
floor. His well-trained staff took immediate and appropriate action.
Sierra still hadn’t regained consciousness when her stretcher was
loaded onto their private helicopter. Their ship was anchored about
two hundred miles north of Perth, Australia where a team of doctors
was standing by. Vinni never left her side.
After an extensive series of tests, the doctors disclosed their
very disheartening prognosis. Sierra had contracted Creutzfeldt-
Jakob disease, a rare and fatal form of brain disease that only
affects about one in every 1,000,000 people. The disease typically
claims the life of its victims within a year of diagnosis and there
was no known cure. Vinni was devastated. One day in the not-too-
distant future, an illness would take the life of his loving wife
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and the only means to save her had been launched into outer space.
Without the benefit of time-travel, Sierra was at the mercy of her
dreadful disease.
The tremendous wealth and political influence could only be
used to make her as comfortable as possible. The end was inevitable
and his reason for living would soon perish. A lifetime of regrets
began to consume him.
CHAPTER 12
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It Couldn’t Be Better
May 15, 2044 provided Vinni and Sierra with a beautiful clear
sky in the South Pacific. It was 10:00 PM when their vessel was
moored for the night. Their jaunt to the Fiji Islands would conclude
in the morning. They were sitting alone on the upper deck when an
unusual beeping sound began to fill the air.
The faint unfamiliar noise prompted Vinni to explore their
surroundings. It took a few moments before Vinni finally lifted the
very old wristwatch to his ear. A tiny red signal light was flashing
on its screen. Fate, or some other supernatural force, had another
strange surprise for Vinni Cross. The portal had somehow found its
way back.
“Oh my God!” he said with a look that bordered on desperation
and elation.
“What is it dear? What’s wrong?” Sierra asked nervously. Vinni
dropped his head. “Vinni, what’s the matter?”
Something in an aging heart compelled him to offer up a long
overdue confession. Considering the circumstances, his soul mate
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deserved to know the whole story and the truth. “I’m not sure how to
begin or even if I should, but...”
“You’re scaring me Vinni. You’re not ill, are you?”
“No honey, I’m fine, but I’ve been keeping a deep dark secret
from you all these years and, in more ways than one, it looks as
though it’s about to resurface.”
“Secret? What in the world are you talking about?”
“Come with me,” he said with an extended hand. She held on
tightly as they scampered slowly down a narrow set of stairs to the
elaborate computer room on the lower deck. There, he could monitor
the network of government satellite systems and, of course, to track
the location of the cylinder.
He flipped a switch for the onboard intercom system. The
urgency in his voice as he spoke to their pilot gave Sierra an
indication of just how serious the situation was. “Mike, I need you
to prep the chopper for immediate departure. I want it ready to go
in half an hour.”
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“Yes, sir,” the pilot replied vigorously and without question.
Since his services were typically used for shuttles to various ports
of call and usually with plenty of advanced notice, the pilot
presumed that Sierra had suffered another attack. “Where to, Mr.
Cross?”
“What’s the closest airport?”
“That would be in Fiji. We’re about two hours out by air.”
“Make the arrangements and call headquarters. Have Jimmy meet
us there with the jet and file a flight plan to Brisbane.”
“Australia?”
“That’s right. We’ve got some urgent business to take care of.”
He knew better than to question any decision Vinni made. “Yes,
sir. I’ll get right on it. Traveling alone?”
“Not this time, Mike. Sierra is coming along, and we’ll need to
fly under the wire on this one. I want everyone to keep this on the
ultimate QT.”
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“Yes, sir. I’ll have the helicopter ready and waiting.”
“Thanks, Mike.”
He made another quick call. A familiar voice on the other end
answered, “Cross International.”
“Brad. It’s Vinni.”
“Well, hello stranger. It’s been awhile. What are you up to
these days?”
“Sorry Brad, but I don’t have time for casual conversation.
I’ve got a situation and I need your help. I want you to organize an
underwater recovery operation in Australia.”
“You’ve got it, Vinni. When do you want to get started? And,
what are we recovering?” the man responded to assure his commitment.
“Pronto! A portion of the payload from our Andromeda mission is
about to reenter the atmosphere and will be splashing down about
sixty miles off the coast of Brisbane in about 18 hours. I want our
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team on site for the splashdown if possible or as close to it as we
can get. I can’t afford any mistakes on this one Brad. I need you to
head this up personally and put your best team on this. I’m taking
the company jet and will meet you in Brisbane first thing in the
morning. We can lease a salvage recovery vessel. So, bring along any
extra equipment you might need. The water isn’t too deep in that
region, but what we’re looking for is relatively small.”
“You’re talking about a very expensive venture Vinni.”
“I don’t care what it costs. I need this done. Can you make it
happen or not?”
“It’ll happen.”
“The capsule’s trajectory will undoubtedly be tracked by an
assortment of governmental organizations and I suspect they will be
deploying teams to investigate the site as well. We’ve got a
significant head start, but it won’t take them long to catch up. I
want to get in and out long before they arrive.”
“I’m on it, Vinni. I’ll see you in Brisbane tomorrow.”
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“Thanks, Brad,” Vinni said before turning his attention back to
Sierra who had a profound look of trepidation in her eyes. “Oh, man.
This is going to be such a long story,” he began with an air of
shameful regret. “Pack a bag, honey. I’ll fill you in on the way.”
They boarded the chopper and lifted off. Vinni tried to come up
with a short version of a very long story. “You’ve never asked, but
I’m sure you’ve wondered what the source of my wealth is.”
“It wasn’t my place to ask. You weren’t the type of man to be
involved in anything illegal, so it didn’t matter. Don’t tell me
you’ve been doing something illegal all these years.”
“No, nothing illegal...not as far as the law is concerned
anyway. Believe it or not, it would probably be a lot easier to
explain if it was something that simple. This one, however, is
pretty complicated.” She gazed at him with a look of utter
confusion. “Do you remember that space mission, the one I funded
back in ‘95?”
“Yeah, of course I do. You sent a probe to explore the
Andromeda Galaxy. As I recall, it exploded or something like that.”
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“Well, there’s a little more to the story. The truth is it
didn’t exactly explode. We just led the world to believe that it
did. The objective was to make sure that its payload got lost
forever. Until now, I was convinced that we had succeeded. There is
no rational explanation. I just don’t know where to begin.”
“Vinni, if there’s a problem, we’ll work it out. We always do.
So, it wasn’t an exploratory mission?”
“No.”
“A lot of your work was top secret, so I never asked. What kind
of mission was it?”
“What would you say if I told you it had something to do, in a
round-about way, with time-travel?”
“Time-travel? Two hours ago, I’d have told you that you were
full of crap, but considering all the hoopla, I’ve got a sneaky
suspicion you’re not.”
“I almost wish I was.”
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“Okay, so you were searching for a way to travel through time?”
“No, I wasn’t looking for it. That was an ability I already
had. The objective was to get rid of it.”
“You invented a way to travel through time?” she asked in
bewildered astonishment.
“No, I didn’t invent it. I simply discovered it, and that was
quite literally by pure accident and long before I met you.”
“You discovered it?” she asked. He nodded. “Before we met?” she
scoffed with sarcastic overtones in her smile.
“Kind of before and kind of after. Like I said, honey, it’s
complicated. The fact is, I wouldn’t even have met you if it hadn’t
been for time-travel.”
“Wait a minute, Bucko. Back up a space or two. This is getting
really weird.”
“I know it is, babe. Unfortunately, it’s going to get a whole
lot weirder before I get done explaining things. It’s really
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important that you keep an open mind here.”
“Okay, the mind is wide open. Shoot,” she said snidely.
“I met you for the first time on September 19th in 2008 at a
place called Brandy’s Bluff.”
“We both know that’s a load of crap. We were married in 1995.”
“Yeah, but that’s because I wanted to share more of my life
with you. So, by traveling through time, I arranged to meet you
fourteen years earlier. That’s how much I loved you, and still do by
the way,” he emphasized with a reassuring smile.
She began to chalk the proclamations up to the sad fact that
her husband was getting old and apparently senile. “That’s a
fascinating story, dear, but you don’t really expect me to believe
it do you?”
“No. I can’t say that I really expect you to, but it’s
important that you do. You deserve to know the truth.”
“And you’re saying the truth is my husband can travel through
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time?”
“I could travel through time, could and did.”
“But you can’t anymore?”
“No not since that space mission in ’95. You see, I discovered
it in 2008 and that’s when I began traveling through time, but all
time-travel activities ceased when we sent it into space.”
“So, you found it in 2008 and got rid of it in 1995?”
“That’s right. At one point, I could travel back and forth at
my leisure, but only seven years into the past. I couldn’t go any
further back myself and could never travel forward in time. So, I
contacted myself seven years younger and recovered the portal again
in his time. As it turned out, he could travel back another seven
years, and V-34 could travel another seven and so on. It was my
former selves that did all the traveling prior to 2001. Is this
starting to make sense?”
“Not even a lick.”
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“I don’t know any other way to explain it. That’s just the way
it was. Seven years was as far back as I could go. Oh, and the other
peculiar thing about it is, when I venture into the past, I became
like some sort of an invisible spirit. I could converse with people
and be heard, but I couldn’t be seen. It’s like I became some form
of minute electromagnetic energy.”
Vinni was trying his best to explain, but there was no
overcoming the look of pessimistic apprehension. She just wasn’t
buying it and he couldn’t blame her. “Look, I know it all sounds
pretty crazy, but the only way I could see to reach back in time was
to contact the younger version of myself in 2001. Once we located
the portal in his time, he could travel back another seven years and
we repeated the process in 1994. There was one instance where we
traveled back to 1987, but that was it. We never went any further.”
“So, you, all of you, actually traveled back in time?”
“Yes but, in a sense, it was me who did all the traveling.
Although I did most of it through my former selves, I have distinct
memories of everything.”
“And you traveled back to 1987?” she asked nonchalantly, still
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unconvinced that he had traveled through time at all. He nodded.
“But not any further back than that?”
“That’s right. We probably would have if we didn’t run into
some serious complications.”
“Complications, huh. Like what?”
“There were a couple of real doozeys. The first paradox was a
nuclear war that took place in 2008. That forced me to dive back
into 2001. I virtually lost you temporarily on that one. It took
some doing, but we managed to prevent that war from taking place.
Unfortunately, we somehow inadvertently sparked a different nuclear
war in 2001 instead.”
“So, my feeble-minded husband prevented one nuclear war and
started another?”
“I know. It’s kind of hard to fathom. Although I didn’t start
the war, it happened. It’s the honest to God truth, Sierra.”
“It’s funny. You’d think I’d recall a nuclear war.”
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“There’s nothing to recall because I prevented them from ever
taking place.”
“I take it back, Vincent Cross. You are so full of crap that
your eyes are turning brown. Matter of fact, I think you’re totting
a pretty hefty load there, Bucko.”
“I know it sounds farfetched, honey, but I have no reason to
lie to you. It’s the truth, Sierra. I swear.”
“It’s all rather convenient, if you ask me. Everything you just
told me is completely unverifiable. It sounds like fantasy, Vinni,
pure fantasy. As much as I hate to say it, I think you’re losing it,
honey. If you really expect me to believe any of this crapola,
you’re even more disturbed than I thought.”
“Hells bells, wife.” he said a profound look of despair. “Maybe
I’d have been better off I had kept my mouth shut about it.”
“Probably,” she said in profound agreement.
It was frustrating for him, but her doubt was understandable.
An appropriate explanation was going to require a great deal of tact
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and a detailed description of the mind-boggling chain of events.
Since they would soon be boarding the Cross jet and had another long
flight ahead of them, he elected to hold off for the time being.
During the lengthy flight to Brisbane Vinni took Sierra on his
incredible journey and shared the whole enchanting story from
beginning to end. The enlightening accounts included the intriguing
details of how they met for the first time on two other separate
occasions.
Sierra seemed to be skeptically convinced, but it was time to
address the situation at hand. “This watch of mine has a receiver in
it that communicates exclusively with a transmitter built into the
space capsule that contains the portal. The alarm we heard last
night alerted me to the fact that the portal was returning to earth.
I can’t for the life of me imagine how, but it’s back from outer
space.”
She could see the trepidation on his face and sensed it in his
voice as he expounded. “We found out the hard way. This thing is
dangerous. We need to find it before anyone else does. If the wrong
guy gets his hands on this thing, the world will never be the same.
Once we’ve secured it, I’ve got to find another way to hide it from
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the rest of humanity forever.”
“I would think there’d be a practical use for an apparatus like
that.”
“The only purpose I can think to use it for is to find a way to
cure that disease of yours. I don’t want to lose you again. After
that, we’ve got to find a new hiding place for it.”
“Do you really think you can prevent it, the disease I mean?”
“I don’t know anything for certain, but if it’s possible, I’ll
figure out a way.”
“Alright, Mr. time-traveler. This portal of yours...where is it
exactly?”
Vinni entered a few commands on his laptop and a geographic
grid popped up on the screen. A flashing red beacon served as a
tracking device for the module and a green light pinpointed the
splashdown site. He pointed with his finger. “It’ll be landing right
about there in a few hours.”
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Vinni coordinated the rest of the arrangements while in route
to Brisbane. Brad Barnes, the man who would head up the underwater
expedition, was a former Navy Seal and one of the best in his field,
a key figure in the Cross organization. He had procured an excellent
team equipped with a state-of-the-art mini submarine. A recovery
unit disguised as a research ship would meet them in Brisbane. By 10
AM the next morning, the team would be on their way out to sea. Axle
Taylor, Vinni’s chief mechanical engineer, was stationed at the
facility in Alaska. He was in route as well and would be shuttled
out by helicopter to meet them at the landing site.
The recovery team had been instructed to remove the lightweight
cylinder within and leave the transportation module on the ocean
floor. The intent was to allow any agency pursuing the object to
recover what would be perceived as some insignificant remnants of
the former space mission. Since the portal was incased in its own
titanium cylinder, the recovery personnel would have no clue as to
what they were retrieving.
By 1 PM, the very efficient team had already completed their
mission and the portal was safely on board the ship. The cylinder
was quickly loaded onto a waiting helicopter. Vinni expressed his
appreciation with promises of a generous bonus for each member of
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the crew. As Vinni and Sierra were making their way back to Brisbane
with the precious cargo, they flew over several naval ships bearing
flags of various countries. The ships were obviously in route to the
splash site, but Vinni’s team would be at a private port in New
Zealand long before they arrived.
Vinni, his wife and the cylinder were transported from Brisbane
by jet to the Alaskan facility where the magic mirror once again
rested securely in the confines of the massive vault. The facility
hadn’t been utilized in years, but it had been well maintained and
was in tip-top shape.
It was Sierra’s first visit to the site, and she was clearly in
awe of her surroundings. Vinni was anxious to alleviate any
lingering doubt his wife might have, and she was eager to see a
demonstration. It was finally time to reveal his most guarded
secret.
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CHAPTER 13
313
EPILOGUE – Into The Mystic
Vinni was as intrigued at eighty-four years of age as he was
when he first discovered it in 2008, but this time there was an even
more inviting prospect to consider. Since the portal had been
hovering in outer space for the past thirty-six years, to pass
through now would present an opportunity to see and explore an
unimaginable region of the universe. And, if it proved to be safe,
Sierra would experience Vinni’s legendary time-machine for the first
time.
The cylinder that encased the portal was suspended by a set of
overhead cables. Sierra was standing on the opposite side as Vinni
cut away the glimmering steel with a laser torch. The section of
lightweight metal fell to the floor. Because the reflective material
had been removed years ago, it revealed nothing more than an
invisible window.
“So, this is the big secret?” Sierra asked with a look of
bewilderment.
“This is it, but you won’t see anything from this side,” Vinni
said as he spun the peculiar object 180 degrees and began to remove
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the rear panel. “Keep in mind, this thing has been traveling through
outer space for the last fifty years and there’s no telling where in
space it was seven years ago. Regardless though, it’s our only point
of access to the past.” He lifted the rear sheet of steel and set it
to the side.
“Oh my God, Vinni,” she gasped. It was as if they were staring
through the lens of an enormous telescope. A sea of very bright
stars and an array of peculiar nebulas captured their attention. Her
face was trained on the fabulous vision with a look of astonishing
wonder.
“Pretty amazing, huh?” he proclaimed. She could only respond
with a half-baked smile and a slow nod. “Watch this,” he said with
an arrogant grin as his hand pierced the plane and disappeared.
“Holy crap,” she responded in a shudder. She was finally seeing
for herself what he had tried so hard to convey. The reality rapidly
sank deep into her soul. It didn’t take long for her to ask the
first of many questions. “Is it safe?”
“Oh yeah,” he said with a reassuring nod. He took her trembling
hand and slowly guided it to the surface.
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“Dear God,” she said as the mystifying sensation surged through
her arm. “That’s amazing!”
“It sure is,” he agreed. “Hey, I’ve got an idea. I never even
considered the prospect of space travel before, but it’s got to be
amazing. I’m going to travel back and contact you in the past. By
the time I get back, you’ll have a brand-new set of memories.”
“You aren’t really going through that thing, are you?”
“Of course, I am, but don’t worry, sweetheart, it’s perfectly
safe. It’s location in space will add a new twist though. I’m pretty
sure I can find my way back to earth from wherever I come out.”
“You’re pretty sure?” she said seeking clarification. “And what
if you can’t?”
“Don’t worry. Space is one thing I know a little bit about. I
won’t be gone too long,” he reassured with a warm kiss as he
prepared for another new adventure.
She could only watch as her beloved husband vanished into thin
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air. “Vinni, are you there? Can you hear me?” There was no reply.
She stared into the abyss for several minutes and began pacing.
After a few minutes, she pulled a chair up to the window and waited
with a finger tapping nervously at her lips.
“Hi there,” Vinni from 2044 said to his former self to announce
his presence. “Guess who is back in town.”
Sierra was nearby but far enough away that she couldn’t
overhear the conversation. “Ah oh,” Vinni in 2037 replied. “This is
going to be bad news, isn’t it?”
“Actually, it is more like a good news/bad news kind of thing.
The bad part of the good news is the portal obviously found its way
back. We just recovered it yesterday.”
“How in the world did that happen?”
“I don’t know, Vinni. It’s like the darn thing is on some sort
of cosmic leash. I think I’ve got it covered though and so far,
there doesn’t appear to be anything to worry about. By the way,
Sierra now knows all about it. I told her everything.”
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“Wow. That was a pretty bold move. Is she okay with it?”
“Well, I can say she was more than a bit shocked, but yeah. I
think she’s fine with it. Matter of fact, I intend to bring her
along on the next trip. We do however have one more serious issue to
deal with. In 2044 Sierra will be contracting a rare and fatal
disease. I’m hoping there’s something about it. Unless we find a
cure, she doesn’t have much time left. I don’t want to lose her,
Vinni.”
“Wow. I can’t tell you how sorry I am to hear that. I’ll get a
research team working on it straight away.”
“Thanks, captain. It’s not nearly as easy as it sounds, but
you’ll need to open up and tell her about this, about us.”
“Okay, Vinni. I’ll fill her in. It sure is good to hear your
voice again though.”
“Yours too, pal. When I get back to Sierra, we’ll have an
enlightening conversation as well.”
As Vinni in 2037 began to share the time-travel concept with
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his wife, Sierra in 2044 immediately began to experience a
recollection of the conversation. “Oh my God,” she said to herself
in flabbergasted astonishment. “I somehow remember that.”
A few moments later, Vinni reappeared through the portal. “Hey,
good looking. Did ya miss me?” he asked with a huge smile.
“Vinni, this is so incredible, kind of strange, but absolutely
incredible!” she giggled.
“I’ll have to admit, this is a new on me too. I’m convinced
that Einstein was wrong. Light isn’t the fastest thing in the
universe after all. I was soaring though space at speeds much
faster. Talk about strange, the portal was about halfway between the
Andromeda and Milky Way galaxies, virtually light years away from
earth. Yet, I could pinpoint the coordinates and plot an accurate
course with no problem at all. In a matter of minutes, I was back on
earth. You’ve got to try this.”
“Oh no you don’t. I’m not getting in that cage of yours. I’m an
old lady, Vinni. Even if I could, I’m not so sure that I’ve got any
business soaring though space at my age.”
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“That’s the beauty of this thing, sweetie. Age is no longer a
factor on the other side. You don’t have a physical body that wears
down. You’ll feel like a little kid again and that’s a great
feeling. C’mon, go with me.”
“I don’t know, Vinni.” The prospect was certainly intriguing
enough, but she was wrestling with the bewildering thoughts of
exploring the unknown and an inner fear of violating some aberrant
preternatural laws of nature. It’s not every day that a person is
invited to challenge the metaphysical and delve into a spiritual
dimension of supernatural life. It took several minutes for her to
examine her emotions and collect her thoughts.
“Coming, dear?” he beckoned.
“Oh, alright. I guess I am. I just wish I knew where the hell I
was going.”
“Trust me, my beloved.”
With that, they crept slowly through the plane together and,
like two specs of weightless energy, began floating through the
captivating realm of the universe. Though they couldn’t physically
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see each other, there was a sense of distinct awareness of each
other’s presence and an overwhelming sense of understanding.
Floating in the silence of deep space was the purest form of genuine
serenity either had ever experienced. Their existence was no longer
dictated by the molecules and elements around them. There was no
sense of heat or cold.
Since oxygen was no longer a requirement, there were no breaths
to be taken. If there had, the panoramic sight would surely have
taken it away. They were experiencing a supernatural level of
ultimate consciousness, a realm of infinite splendor that human
beings could only dream of.
“Vinni,” she said to the only other entity in her midst, “I’ve
never felt so alive, but I’ve never been so scared either.”
“I know honey, but don’t worry. Just follow me,” he said. As if
they were somehow joined, she adhered to his presence and they sped
off through the astounding vastness of the cosmos. In a matter of
moments, they were weaving their way through the outer arms of the
Milky Way and rapidly descending on earth’s solar system. “Behold,”
he said in a deep dark voice to accentuate the spiritual perception.
“That tiny blue spec straight ahead is our planet. Beautiful, isn’t
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it?”
“That’s the most fascinating sight I’ve ever seen. Are you sure
that’s earth?”
“Home sweet home, my love.”
“Wow, in the overall cosmic scheme of things, earth really is
miniscule isn’t it?”
“By comparison, nothing more than a fragment and wait until you
see this,” he added with angelic flare. They were now swooping down
on their home in the Hawaiian Islands. “Shall we wake up the
family?”
A sense of perplexing trepidation absorbed her. “Oh, I don’t
know, Vinni.”
“Hi, guys,” Vinni said to inform them of their arrival. By this
time, his counterpart in 2037 had already informed Sierra and
prepared her for the visit. “Say hello, honey,” he said to entice
his spiritual companion.
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“Hi,” Sierra from 2044 said to initiate the conversation.
“Wow. Is that really you?” Sierra in 2037 replied in response.
“It is,” she replied timidly. “I can’t believe it, but I’m
here. What a strange feeling it is to be talking with myself.”
“Isn’t it though,” Vinni of 2037 said to the spirit of his
elder self’s wife. With his wife’s hand in his he spoke to Vinni of
2044. “So, what are your plans for the portal?”
“To be honest, I’m not quite sure. If forty-nine years of
hurling through space wouldn’t get rid of it, we’ll have to figure
out another way. This mystical anomaly ends with us and, as it
stands, the only other existing link to the future rests on the
outskirts of the Andromeda Galaxy. No one on earth could gain access
out there, even if they wanted to. I’ll make sure the portal goes
away, but it’ll be best if no one ever knows where or how, not even
you...at least for another seven years. If something comes up and
you discover an urgent need for the dreadful thing, you’ll have the
option to change your mind if or when the time comes.”
“I doubt it,” Vinni of 2037 resolved. “We’ve had more than our
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share of adventures. Time-travel isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.”
“Oh,” Sierra of 2044 advised her younger self, “you’ll want to
spend September of 2039 somewhere else besides Santa Cruz. A
phenomenal tsunami will be rolling through. It wiped out most of the
islands. We were at the mountain retreat on the main island and
managed to escape the devastation. All we lost was the boat. We
stuck around and did what we could, but you might want to establish
a relief fund for the victims.”
“Will do,” Sierra of 2037 assured.
“We’ll make plans accordingly and have an emergency response
team standing by,” her husband amended.
“I’m sure you girls could find all kinds of things to talk
about, but we really should get back to the future,” Vinni’s spirit
proclaimed. “We’ve got some plans to make as well. Remember; the
more you two enjoy your lives, the more we get to enjoy ours. So,
have fun!”
“Cool!” Vinni in 2037 said contemptuously to finalize the visit
with an old cliché. “And I promise, we’ll find a cure for that
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horrible disease. We aren’t going to let anything happen to the
woman we love. Are we, Vinni?”
“No, sir, not our girl,” he added. “So, I guess we’ll be seeing
you guys later then.”
“Okay. Bye,” Sierra in 2044 said to bid a sad farewell, “and
good luck to you two.”
“I hope you can remember all this,” her former self said with
tears welling in her eyes. “Good-bye.”
“She will, honey,” her companion informed. “Bye, guys.”
“That was unbelievable,” Sierra of 2037 said to her husband who
embraced her as their future spirits drifted away.
“I hated keeping all this from you for all those years. I was
only doing what I thought was best at the time.”
“I know you were, dear, and you did the right thing,” she
replied with a kiss on the cheek.
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“Do ya love me?”
“More than ever.”
-----/-----\-----
Vinni and Sierra took the scenic route back to the portal in
space. When they stepped through and back into their aging bodies
within the vault, they stood facing each other considering their
inevitable future in silent reflection. It seemed that both were
experiencing a similar train of thought, but Vinni was reluctant to
expound. “That was quite an experience, eh?”
She shuffled toward him and sank into a warm hug. “To say the
very least,” she said with smile. “I think I’ll miss it.”
There was a long hesitation before Vinni finally inferred, “You
don’t have to, you know?”
“Excuse me?”
“I think you know what I mean.”
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“Do I?”
“We may be old and gray, but we certainly don’t have to feel
it.”
“Vinni, you aren’t suggesting what I think you are suggesting,
are you?”
“Probably,” he said with a shrug.
She looked at the portal with sagging eyes. “You want to go
back through, don’t you?”
“Don’t you?” he asked softly. She hesitated to answer. “I don’t
think it’s so wrong to relish the thought of feeling young again and
there’s no reason why we couldn’t feel that way forever.”
“Forever is a long time, Vinni,” she warned.
“Not if we stay here. We’re just two old farts pissing in the
wind, biding our time until the angel of death comes knocking. I
don’t know just how much time we’ve got, but there isn’t a whole lot
of life left in this world for either of us. Our modest quality of
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life is going to start dwindling pretty fast.”
“That’s what couples do, dear. They grow old together.”
“I don’t mind growing old. It’s the thought that dying is the
only thing we really have left to look forward to. Unfortunately, we
probably won’t go out together either. More than likely, one of us
will at some point be left alone. I can’t imagine living the balance
of my life without you in it. Seems to me we’ve got an option here.
The portal provides us with an alternative, an opportunity to extend
our lives for who knows how long. Granted, there would be a few
drawbacks, but the quality of life on that side beats the heck out
of what we’ve got left here. All I’m saying is, it’s something to
consider.”
“Oh, I don’t know, Vinni. The thought of cheating death is kind
of like cheating God. I’m not so sure we should cross that line.”
“I’m not so sure that we shouldn’t. If God didn’t want us to
have this thing, it wouldn’t be here in the first place, right?” She
nodded in vague agreement. “I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that the
prospect of living like a revitalized spirit in the past sounds a
lot more intriguing than living like an old geezer struggling to
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survive in the present. There’s one thing we know for certain; if we
remain here, we’re going to grow old and die.”
“I have thought about it,” she said defensively. “Once we make
our choice, there’d be no going back. If heaven is real, and, as you
know, I happen to believe it is, we could be missing out on eternal
life, God’s greatest gift. If we go through that portal, we may
never know what God’s version of an afterlife will be like. If it’s
as special as the bible depicts, we could be making the biggest
mistake of our lives.”
“Yeah...but,” he argued with a witty declaration of his own.
“That future is built purely on faith. We don’t know for certain
that heaven even exists, which means we’d be escaping life’s
inevitable demise. Even if there is a heavenly afterlife, there
aren’t really any guarantees that God intends to extend me an
invitation. We’re bible-believing Christians and I think we’re good
people. So, we might very well be candidates, but we also must
consider the prospect that our names aren’t written in the Lamb’s
Book of Life. As far as we know, we might be slated to spend
eternity in hell. We won’t know the answer to that question until
Judgment Day. So, in retrospect, we could actually be avoiding a
very bad thing.”
329
“It never ceases to amaze me how you manage to develop such odd
one-sided perspectives and twist things around to justify your
objectives. I swear, you make it sound like a poker game.”
“It is...kind of. You don’t fold your cards when you know you
have the best hand. You said it yourself; if you’re betting on a
sure thing, it’s not really gambling. I’m simply playing the devil’s
advocate. We know what’s on the other side of this line,” he
declared with a finger pointing at the portal. “Everything else is a
complete mystery.”
She stood firm in her refutation. “The bible says that the
rewards of heaven are far beyond your wildest imagination, which
means it is more phenomenal than anything we can envision. I believe
that heaven is a lot more than some glorious resort with pearly
gates, gold streets and marble mansions. We know that the universe
is expanding at an accelerating rate. So, we’ve got to assume that
the process of creation is still in its infancy. That would mean
that God’s creation process is just getting started. There is a lot
more to His afterlife than materialistic things like fields of
beautiful flowers. You and I have an enhanced perspective.”
330
She went on to describe her vision. “I can envision living out
eternity with new heavenly bodies, whatever they may be like, as
God’s godly assistants. There are hundreds of billions of galaxies
out there; plenty to go around and more than enough to ensure that
each of His followers have their own. If the universe itself is
Heaven, I can imagine God granting each of His followers with an
opportunity to create worlds within their galaxy on His behalf.
Since we couldn’t even begin to fathom what we might create or how,
that is a Heaven truly be beyond the realm of mankind’s wildest
imagination. If that’s the eternal life God has in store, I sure
wouldn’t want to miss out on it.”
“Wow. I’ve never looked at it quite like that before. You may
be right. We might be missing out on a cosmically extraordinary
life, but it’s still based solely on faith. There is no way of
knowing for certain. Even if that heaven of yours is real, there are
no guarantees that God plans to include us. We know what lies beyond
that portal and I think it’s a pretty safe bet. I do however want to
make one thing abundantly clear. I’m not going anywhere without you.
I’d rather die and go to hell with you than live as a spirit in the
past without you. So, the final decision is yours. I’m with you all
the way and until the very end.”
331
“I feel the same way. If we did go through, there’d be no
coming back?”
“Well, I suppose we could return if we decided to, but it would
be complicated and a bit risky. We’d only have a seven-year window.
After that, I doubt if we could come back.”
Sierra stared into the portal in complete silence and for a
very long time. Vinni had considered her enlightening perspective of
the afterlife, but still perceived the portal as their best option.
She would not be pressured into a decision, but to reassure her, he
offered, “We don’t have to decide right now. We have plenty of time
to think about it.”
“Nope, I’ve made up my mind,” she proclaimed decisively. Vinni
was anxious to hear the verdict, but Sierra remained silent for
another rather long period. She seemed uncertain about her choice.
“Well...” Vinni urged.
“Hold your horses, Bucko. It’s not like I’m picking out a dress
here.”
332
“Okay, honey,” he said with another reassuring smile. “Take
your time.”
“We’ll do it,” she said resolutely.
“Do what?” he asked seeking confirmation.
Again, she was silent before responding. “We’ll go back,” she
finally announced softly with her head shaking from side to side.
“God help us, but when the time comes, we’ll go through.”
Vinni was elated. In his heart, he believed wholeheartedly that
it was the right choice. “Are you absolutely certain, honey?”
“No,” she said with a tone of duress in her voice. “So, if
we’re going to do this, let’s get it done before I change my mind. I
am a woman you know. When would we leave?”
“Well, it’ll take some careful coordination. We’ll have to make
sure that the portal gets lost in the process and ensure that no one
else can ever discover it accidentally. I suppose everything could
be ready in a week or so.”
333
“I sure hope we’re doing the right thing, Vinni.”
“For some reason, I believe we are. I’ll start making the
arrangements tomorrow, but until we actually step through, you’ll
have an opportunity to change your mind.”
The consequences of that choice were beginning to sink in, but
once she had made her decision, she never once questioned it. Their
relationship had been reinforced with an endearing bond and their
view of eternity had been given an everlasting facelift.
-----/-----\-----
Vinni spent the next several days preparing an old military
vessel for its final voyage. The portal was installed in the wall of
an airtight titanium vault built into the framework of the old
ship’s steel hull. Hundreds of explosive charges with wireless
detonators were strategically placed at various locations. As far as
the demolition team was concerned, the vessel was being sunk to
create an artificial reef. Only Vinni and Sierra would be on board
when it arrived at its final resting place, which would never be
revealed.
334
The night before they sailed, Vinni hosted one last extravagant
party, a true celebration of life. Neither of them had close family
ties or enduring relationships to contend with, but the event
extended them one last opportunity to socialize with the many
friends and associates they had shared their life with through the
years. They were closer to some than others, but most were
considered casual acquaintances. The lack of social ties might be
perceived by some as a sad fact, but Vinni and Sierra considered
themselves fortunate. They weren’t confronted with the grave
emotions that most endure when forced to leave a loved one behind.
It was a brisk Sunday morning on May 15th in 2044 when the crew
was dismissed. Their vessel set sail for a secluded location about
300 miles northeast of Hawaii. The isolated site ensured that the
ship and its surreptitious cargo would come to rest in one of the
deepest chasms in the North Pacific.
A map to the location and instructions were left in a secret
encrypted file that only his former self could access. If a
catastrophe was to occur within the seven-year timeframe, Vinni’s
younger self would have an opportunity to activate a remote
transmitter to enable its recovery. Even if a foreign salvage team
were to stumble upon the wreck, the portal itself had been well-
335
disguised and adequately concealed to prevent its discovery.
The seas were calm, and a pleasant breeze wisped softly across
the deck. The two had been blessed with a magnificent star filled
sky, which seemed appropriate for their final night of life in the
physical world. The two shared one of their favorite meals on the
upper deck. It was a delicacy they would normally have taken for
granted. The night was complimented by several bottles of the
world’s best champagne. Since their infinite interlude would allow
for an eternity of conversation, few words were spoken. Idle chat
just didn’t seem necessary.
They were perfectly content with one another’s company knowing
that once they had committed to the ultimate decree. They would
never again experience the simple act of touching one another. So,
most of their final hours were immersed in every form of physical
contact they could contrive. Even at the age of 84, they made love
as passionately that night as they had when they were young. It was
a disturbing thought to consider, but aside from occasional glimpses
of their former selves and the many fond memories they would cherish
forever, they would never again peer into the precious eyes of their
loving companion. Their lips would never meet in another fervent
kiss. Every aspect of their physical lives was about to diminish
336
forever.
Like lovers caught in a desperate quandary, they prepared for
the ultimate sacrifice. They held each other tightly through the
night. At 6 AM, as hard as it was for them to relinquish that magic
touch, the time had come to leave their old life behind and begin
their new spiritual adventure. Aspects of life that most couples
would typically take for granted were genuinely cherished.
Although they were engrossed in a peculiar sense of immense
trepidation, the dreadful emotions were incongruously overcome by an
even more prevalent sense of exhilarating euphoria. The designated
time had arrived. The two were now standing in front of the portal
staring silently into the spiritual abyss.
Vinni placed the detonator in Sierra’s hand. He would not spend
an eternity wondering if he had mistakenly coerced Sierra into
making the decision. She responded with the most heartwarming smile
he had ever seen on her beautiful face. With virtually no
hesitation, she pressed the red button.
“We’ve got about thirty seconds,” he advised with a confident
smile of his own. “Are you ready?”
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“Ready, Freddie,” she said. They held on tightly to one
another’s hand as they stepped through and beyond the point of no
return. They looked back from their enhanced spiritual perspective
to observe the monitors situated within the vault. They watched as
several cameras mounted at various locations throughout the ship
captured the series of devastating explosions. The ship’s massive
steel hull split in two and began filling with water. The ship began
to sink quickly and rapidly reached a depth where the faint rays of
sunlight were finally filtered out completely. A deep ocean-drenched
darkness now separated them from their only connection to their
former life.
The ship had become an underwater tomb, but only for the portal
buried within it. Much like the afterlife depicted in the Bible,
theirs had become a spiritual journey. Their lives would never be
the same, but they would be together forever. The balance of their
eternity would be spent exploring the depths of God’s infinite
universe. It was the ultimate paradigm of unconditional love. They
would share a new and peculiar form of phenomenal joy.
In a way, Vinni and his compassionate wife became gods that
day, spirits of the future dwelling in the past. They were God’s
338
blessed ambassadors chosen to spread the gospel of genuine love
throughout the world and His universe. Such love could only have
been instilled by their Heavenly Father. Their future was yet to be
determined, but if it was the Will of God, perhaps after millions or
billions of years, they might one day find a means of circumventing
their omnipotent destiny. They might someday discover a fortifying
path that could somehow inveigle a new form of physical
manifestation.
Considering how they got where they were to begin with, the
bizarre notion didn’t seem like such a far-fetched prospect. Until
they discovered another supernatural anomaly, or until something
else occurred to change their apparent destiny, they would reign
like gods with the supreme power to influence and alter the future
of life on earth and, if it existed elsewhere in the universe, they
would find it.
Since their quest was conceived in the purest form of absolute
love, it didn’t seem so inconceivable to consider that perhaps they
had somehow been appointed by God Himself. Maybe it was their
destiny to serve as an eternal example of what He intended for all
mankind. Unfortunately, if that is their decree, their undying love
would undoubtedly be perpetually subjected to the overwhelming
339
presence of absolute evil, the domineering force that had permeated
life on earth since the beginning of time.
None of us may ever know for certain, but if Vinni and Sierra
Cross were chosen for this monumental mission, mankind should
consider saluting the Creator’s magnificent selection.
Father Time and Mother Nature are watching
THE END
and yet a new beginning!
© All Rights Reserved!
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Additional Literary Projects
by Dave Lindsay
If you enjoyed reading “Mirror-Mirror”, you may also like “Encore”, Dave’s first novel.
Encore is a unique futuristic adventure, an intriguing philosophical voyage into the scientific realm of theological tenet. It’s based on an actual theory that Dave came up with but is expressed in a novelistic format. Mankind simply cannot consider the advancements in science without considering the theological and theoretical implications that are inherently linked. Cryonics is no longer a farfetched science-fiction philosophy.
At facilities like ALCOR in Arizona, more than 1200 bodies are currently in preserved in a frozen state. Predictions are that it’s merely a matter of time, probably within the next 25 years, before the technology exists to enable the science to rejuvenate the first human being.
When considering the science of Cryonics, Dave asks the questions that no one else has ever asked. If the human soul truly exists and departs the body when a person dies, as most religions contend, will it return upon Cryonic rejuvenation? Encore explores the most alarming question of all: What if it doesn’t?
The Incredible History of High Diving
As a former 2x World High Diving Champion Dave and a World Record Holder for the highest dive, Dave is writing three other non-fiction books and working on some documentary film projects to depict the inside story about the fabulous history of the sport and the water show business. These projects bottle up a wonderful compilation of stories as told by the incredible competitors and performers who lived through the monumental era. To learn more about these exclusive projects, please visit us online at www.DLBooks.com .
© All Rights Reserved!